Rags To Riches
by Painted With a Palette
Summary: A potential war brews about in Radiant Garden. Princess Kairi had always been treated with respect. She was so used to getting whatever she desired with the snap of a finger, it turned her into a selfish teenager. Only one boy seemed to have the balls to treat her like a regular human being instead of a goddess. AU. Sokai. Cover art by my wonderful friend, BlissfulNightRain!
1. Prologue

Kairi Estheim slept soundly—though, blissfully ignorant of what was to come.

Her petite body formed a soft outline on the velvety surface of her mattress and her tiny lips were graced with a content smile. Her long, red mane overflowed over her light pink linen pillows.

She felt at peace when drifting in the divine ignorance of sleep. All of her problems and insecurities could be tossed aside in favor of a dream world where logic was null and imagination ran without boundaries.

Nothing mattered once she was blanketed in the warm embrace of slumber. Whenever desperate for an escape from reality, her bedroom served as her temporary getaway. She would often hibernate there for hours, even days if given the chance.

Unfortunately, the princess of Radiant Garden didn't always have such luxuries.

"Miss Estheim?" Her butler firmly knocked on the door, putting her sleep to an abrupt pause. "Your mother requests that you wake up for breakfast."

Her eyes shot open, tinged with anger, as a trail of morning wrinkles withered down her unsatisfied countenance. With an uninterested gaze, her eyes scanned her pink room, full of the most expensive accessories currency could propose. She kicked her legs out as her comforter spilled across the floor and rubbed the grogginess out of her eyes while dragging her feet towards the door in an elegant white nightgown.

The butler, his bald head polished like a waxed automobile, stood as straight as he could as if not to be impolite.

"Princess Kairi—"

"I heard you the first time."

Being the daughter of Queen Claire and King Hope Estheim, the burden of royalty was hers to bear. For as long as she could remember, sleep had always been cut short for mandatory breakfast. If only she could just wake up at her own leisure.

"I'll be down in a moment. Tell Mother that I have no interest in attending the summer festivities."

"But Miss Kairi—"

**WHAM!** If the butler's reflexes weren't as sharp, his nose would have been broken. Nonetheless, her reaction was nothing out of the ordinary. Wordlessly, he made his way downstairs to inform the queen.

Kairi dove into her closet and presented a very stylish dress. Its seams and shaped pattern pieces were doused in turquoise and clashed in complimenting arrangements. How boring. She didn't remember a day in recent memory that passed by without being clad in anything but a dress and corset. All they did was squeeze such a slender waist for dear life.

Kairi held onto the hem of her dress as she strode down the spiral stairs. With a brief turn to the right, she entered the royal dining room; her mother and father waited at the table.

Surrounded by transparent walls, Kairi winced from the sharp ray of the sunlight; ot was always a routinely obnoxious good morning salutation. A piping hot aroma of cooked fish wafted the air. A lovely, but familiar scent. So familiar, it immediately subdued her appetite.

Kairi sat at the table with a hollow expression.

"Good morning, Kairi," her mother, Claire Estheim, greeted. Her dry sentiments felt mandatory.

Kairi idly stared at the silverware and leaned her head against her fist. "Whatever."

Claire took a deep breath. She had to restrain herself from smacking some respect into her sixteen-year-old brat.

Maids and waiters shuffled out of the kitchen with dishes in hand, steam seeping from the bottom. They served the royal family breakfast and bowed before reentering the kitchen. Kairi didn't bat an eyelash. It was broiled fish, steamed rice, and miso soup.

"Father, really? This? For the fourth day in a row?"

Hope sighed. "Yes, Kairi. We've been over this. We have to wait until the servants return from Disney Town with this month's rations. Their king, a good friend of mine, has graciously offered some of their surplus perishables, so please be grateful for what you have."

The spoiled princess rolled her eyes. Scoffing, she picked up a fork and violently stabbed her lifeless fish. Was her sleep really interrupted for this?

"Well, I'm not hungry this morning."

Kairi pushed against the table, making her chair scoot back with an irritating screech against the marble floor. She stood tall with her chest out, grabbing on the hem of her dress once again.

"You sit back down right this instant, young lady," Claire said sternly. "The servants worked very hard to prepare this meal for you, so you are going to eat it. I don't care if you like it or not, but you will appreciate it."

Kairi almost wanted to laugh. "You think I care about those peasants and what their meager obligations? It's their job. I have no sympathy for unmotivated loafers who will be wholly forgotten when death does them part from their miserable lives. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Her pompous attitude was exuded in her strut as she marched up the stairs. Claire shot up from her seat ready to teach that urchin some manners, already rolling up her sleeves with clenched teeth. But before she could make a move, a gentle but firm grip around her forearm made her stop. She looked down to see her husband with a pleading look.

"Just let her go," Hope said. "We don't want to ruin another morning."

Claire fought off her reluctance to comply and ultimately sat back down. "That girl needs to learn proper etiquette."

"I know, but she won't listen anyway."

"That's no excuse!" She slammed her fist on the table. "That's what's wrong with us, Hope. We are pushovers to her bad behavior. If we continue to tolerate it, she won't stop! She'll be totally beyond our control!"

Hope could emphasize. As much as he wanted to get his daughter in check, he also wanted to maintain peace in his household and avoid stimulating the wavering tension that already resided.

Claire sighed as she placed a hand on his. "I'm sorry, honey. It's just—I'm getting so fed up with her, I don't even know what to do anymore."

"No, you're right. We keep allowing her to do whatever she wants because we don't have the heart to discipline her properly. And while I don't think control is the proper word here, I do think she lacks fundamental respect." He raked a hand through his silver hair. "Where did we go wrong, Claire?"

"Perhaps we spoiled her as a child? I'm not too sure. She was never like this when she was a little girl."

Hope chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe a king-sized bed when she was only six might have been a little too much."

"She was never like this when she was only a child, though." She smiled in remembrance. "She was so adorable back then—the sweetest little angel you could ever imagine."

At that time, Hope and Claire would give little Kairi whatever she wanted with a finger snap. Spoiling a pure child to the point where they feel entitled to their desires can be quite consequential. Its good intentions may gradually nurture a selfish soul, no matter its once pure spirit.

Hope nodded. "You know, she reminds me of you."

"Hm?" Claire wasn't sure if she should take that as an insult.

"You acted like that when you and I first met. You know, kinda."

When Hope first met Claire—who back then preferred the alias, Lightning—she had little tolerance for Hope and his supposed lush lifestyle as King of Radiant Garden. She was cold, anti-social, and refused to waste valuable time with people that served her no benefit. She did what she had to do in order to eat.

Of course, Lightning would save lives, but only when it felt necessary. She never truly cared for anyone else's well-being besides her own. Then she met Hope, who introduced her to the idea that perhaps the world didn't revolve around her as much as she thought. They became friends as Hope gave her a spot in Radiant Garden's defense forces to protect citizens from all that threatened the establishment.

Despite Lightning and her initial barriers, it wasn't long before romance bloomed.

Eventually, Hope turned Claire into a much more approachable woman, and she became respected by the residents of Radiant Garden as a worthy queen who deserved her spot. She took the praise humbly.

Hope was proud of himself, being able to turn such a bitter woman into a well-respected and admired human being who always thought of ways to make the world a better place.

If he could do that, then their daughter, Kairi—shouldn't have been this much of a hassle. But with all of the continuous lectures to her about respect and common humility, it routinely fell on deaf ears and they'd be right back to square one about a week or two later. Maybe Kairi just wasn't mature enough to handle royalty, as if that weren't obvious enough. Sometimes he flirted with the idea of just tossing her out into the streets, maybe that'd teach her a lesson or two.

Despite the temptation, she would be recognized, and most likely targeted by the masses; either for money or to fawn over her like deranged, perverted pedophiles. She was a very beautiful girl, after all.

But alas, no matter how many times it _seemed _like Kairi actually learned a life lesson, she always considered lower-class society as filthy peasants in much need of a currency upgrade to be allowed the privilege of her presence. For goodness sake, she probably even thought her own parents weren't worth her time. With the way she just considerately brushed off breakfast, it would not have been much of a surprise.

Claire summoned a servant with a clap. "Yes, Mrs. Estheim?"

"Fetch Flame for me, please."

"Yes. Right away, ma'am."

Flame was the pet tigress of the family. Soon, the well-trained animal came walking in on all fours with her fur groomed to exquisitely. She and her master, Lightning, were always particularly close.

"I have a special surprise for you, Flame." Claire took a hold of her daughter's untouched dish and set it down before her pet. Flame immediately dug in but looked up as Claire knelt down, grabbing her by the face and gave her a kiss with her nose. "There's a nice meal for you, girl. Isn't that right? A nice meal for the most beautiful tigress in the world! Who's a good girl? Yes, you are."

Hope smirked. "She's not a dog, you know."

"Pipe down and let me enjoy my moment."

He chuckled, directing his attention to the window and watched the sun blaze in the distance. What was he was going to do about that girl? Somebody had to knock some sense into her, and obviously he and his wife weren't fit for the task.

But who could possibly do that?

* * *

"Get back here, you thief!" the captain of the guards shouted.

His bare feet scurried away from the bloodthirsty guards on his trail. He was a boy no older than sixteen sheathed in a sleeveless brown shirt and some baggy pants folded just below his knee. A necklace with a crown pendant rested around his neck. The guards chased after him their swords waving. He looked down at the watermelon hooked in his pit.

While inattentive, he bumped into a man pushing a cart whose back was hard and bulky. He turned around, blocking the young boy's view of the sun. "Hey, watch it you—" he wandered his eyes down below. "Oh, it's only you, Sora."

"Cid, you gotta help me!"

Sora pointed back to the guards pushing through a crowd of bystanders.

"Again, Sora?" He sighed. "Get in."

"Alright! That's why you're my main man, Cid!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

Cid was an engineer. He was usually sent to deliver certain equipment from his company's factory all the way to the actual facility. Sora slipped inside the cart, which was covered by a sheet. The captain grappled Cid by the shoulder. "Cid!" he yelled, his large, gruff beard coming into his personal space. His rotund belly shoved Cid to the side slightly. "Have you seen the kid? And don't lie to me, now!" The captain scratched his double chin.

"I think he went around the corner, Captain Pete. You'd best hurry if you wanna catch 'im."

Pete caught the attention of his men with a whistle. "Around the corner, boys! Move! Move! Move! I'm gonna catch that little pipsqueak if my life depends on it! Do ya hear?! If my life depends on it!"

Pete's desire to catch Sora had been a recurring occurrence for a few years, but no matter what he did or how much he outnumbered him, Sora was always able to outsmart the large captain, and it drove him mad. The guards hustled their way around the corner. As soon as they were out of earshot, Sora sprung from the cart with a triumphant smirk.

"Thanks Cid, you're a lifesaver." He was being literal. If he ever got caught by that captain, he'd probably get beheaded.

"No prob, kid. But damn, can't you go one day without getting into trouble?"

Sora shrugged. "A wise man once said gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat."

"But—"

"Tell you all about it when I got the time!"

With a brief salute, Sora scurried away before Cid could waste any more of his time. He had to make it back to the safe zone. He decided it would be best to take the shortcut, the perfect detour. He slipped into a familiar alleyway, hopping over obstacles and sliding across conveniently closed dumpsters. Before long, the speedy boy finally reached an abandoned library that was four stories high. It was against the law enter vacated property, but he didn't have anywhere else to go.

Sora climbed the ladder until he reached the second floor. He leaped onto the balcony and took a deep breath. Every day, he had to risk his life just to put food on the table. It was a tiring routine, and if it were up to him, he would've just cut ties with the misery of trial and error by giving in to eternal sleep. But there was one thing, or person rather, that kept him fighting each and every day.

He heard a knock from the window behind him. He turned around to see a pouty, but cute expression on raven haired girl. A smile of relief took him over.

"Open the window," he requested.

She did as told and helped pull the troublemaker inside. Aisles of books on the right side of a flat, wooden table came into view. The various candles spread throughout offered dim lighting.

"What's wrong, Xion?"

"Oh, I dunno. It might be the fact that I woke up yet _again_ to see that my big brother wasn't there for what has to be the ba-zillionth time in a row. You had me worried!" She punched him on the shoulder.

"Ow!" Sora rubbed the tender spot. "Well, that's a fine good morning greeting. It's nice to see you too."

"Aw, cut it out. You know I hate it when you go running off into the streets without telling me."

He rolled his eyes. "But on the bright side," he presented the watermelon, "breakfast!"

Xion didn't look very amused.

"Okay... I thought this was the part where you're supposed to tell me I'm the best big brother ever and give me a hug as a sign of appreciation for making sure we could eat this morning."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, you thought wrong, you jerk." She gently took a hold of the watermelon, placing it on a nearby table.

Sora chuckled as he rested his hands behind his head. "You sure do know how to make a brother feel warm and fuzzy inside."

She shook her head with a grin of her own. "I'm serious, Sora. I like having food on the table, but I don't want to lose my brother over it."

The library had been deserted for six years. Sora and Xion broke into it three years before without another home to go to. It was surprisingly a cozy little spot to live in. The only thing was that the eerie and lifeless atmosphere to it added a certain involuntary depression from time to time. The aisles of books aided Xion in developing a love of reading, but the environment itself lacked substance.

They were still able to keep the place fairly tidy. Sora went over to one of the aisles and dotted the tip of his finger across the varying novels, his eyes set for a particular red book.

"Don't worry about it, Xi. I've got it under control. Pete's not smart enough to tie his own shoes. He's never gotten the best of me."

Xion sat at the table as she let out a breath. "That's not the point. You're acting like it's impossible. I don't want to see you go out that window and then never come back, either because you'll be imprisoned for life—or dead."

"Look," he said a tad sternly, "we need to eat, okay? And since Mom and Dad aren't around anymore, I've got to step up for the both of us."

Xion loved her big brother very much, but his stubborn nature grew more tedious as the years went by. Sora came across the book he was looking for. He set it on the table and opened to the appropriate page. It was used to hold silverware. Inside, there were knives, forks, and spoons with the pages ripped into the appropriate shapes to hold them. Sora pulled out a particularly jagged knife. It could melt through the back of any man like butter. It came in handy whenever Sora came into trouble with people who figured he was the kid to pick a fight with. Not that he ever killed anybody.

Sora used it to split the fruit in half. He smiled proudly at the juicy watermelon and handed one half to his sister.

"One for you," he took the other half and sat down across from her, "...and one for me."

He opened his mouth wide as he seared his teeth into the succulent delight; he mashed his teeth with big puffy cheeks. His eyes opened to find his sister's expression still disapproving.

"You're not eating," he said with a mouthful.

She crossed her arms.

He gulped it down and sighed. The last thing he wanted was a lecture from his little sister. "What is it, dear?" he asked tiredly.

"Um, eww. Can you not?"

"Well, you're acting like my wife here, so I might as well treat you like it."

"Stop changing the subject! We're not about to just brush this off to the side, Mister. I'm tired of you not letting me know when you're gone." She pretended to look sad. "You really must not care about your little sister…"

The guilt trip. He hated the guilt trip. It didn't matter that he knew she was pulling a ruse, she was still able to look so adorably pathetic that she seemed to always successfully make a sucker out of him.

"No, no! Don't cry! I do care about you, it's just—" his eyes slowly averted to the floor, "you know…"

"You're worried that I'll try to stop you?" He didn't respond. "Look, Sora, I'm just as capable of handling myself in tough situations as well as you are. I'm not five anymore, you know."

"I know," he beamed at her. "You're strong, Xion. I'm proud of you." She returned the smile, just as his faded away. "It's just that I don't want to lose you." He clenched his fist and held it close to his chest. "God, if something happened to you… I don't know what I'd do…"

She slouched. "Come on, don't turn this into another mushy moment."

He smirked. "I think you need a little mush in your life." He stretched his hand over the table in an attempt to ruffle her hair, but she smacked it away.

"Buzz off."

He laughed.

"Seriously, next time, let me go along with you when you plan on getting us something to eat. I promise I won't get in the way, and I can show you what I'm truly made of!" She flexed her nonexistent muscles. "Bang! See? Look at these guns!"

"Maybe you should come along." Her face brightened. "Those flabby arms could use the workout." And her face dimmed again. "It's really dangerous, Xion."

"Come on…" she whined.

He scratched the back of his messy hair. "I don't know…"

"Please…"

"You're asking a lot from me."

"I'll do the laundry for the next month if you let me tag along just one time!"

Now that was an offer he could think about. "Fine, I'll think about it."

She perked back up. "Good enough for me!" She happily dug into the watermelon.

Sora cherished these moments. Throughout the fleeing, ducking and diving to ensure he could live another day, it was worth the hassle when he could come home to such a wonderful sister like her.

"HEY!" Her voice snapped him back into reality. "Quit looking at the ceiling like an idiot. I hate when you zone out." She raised an eyebrow. "What're you smiling for?"

"I've thought about your proposition."

She looked at him skeptically. "Well, that was quick. Go on."

"And I don't want anything to happen to you." She was about to say something, but he beat her to the punch. "But—I also realize that it's wrong for me to make you worry like that, and I need to start trusting you more, so…"

Her eyes widened with excitement. "So, I can go?"

He knew he was going to regret this, but he nodded.

"EEEEEEEPPP!" She stood up, prancing about like a fool. Sora let out a laugh. She was definitely worth all of the trouble. "I get to go into the ci-ty! I get to go into the ci-ty! I get to go into the ci-ty," she sung crudely.

"Don't get your hopes up. It's really not as exciting as you might think it is. There's a lot that goes into scrapping for food. I'd call it an art."

"Oh please, you're just trying to scare me and make yourself sound more awesome. It can't be that hard, can it? Trust me, it'll be fine."

Xion was just glad to get out of this dingy old library. She wasn't exactly skilled enough to call herself independent, but she didn't want to have to completely rely on somebody either, especially her brother who she worried about every day.

"Well, I'm glad one of us is excited…"

Xion settled back down. "Cheer up! It's gonna be fun! Just you and me, having some brother sister bonding time!"

"What do you think this is? A trip to the movies? No, we're risking our lives to fill our stomachs. It's for the sake of our survival."

She rolled her eyes. "You're such a drama queen."

"Fine. But don't act all surprised if somebody ends up getting hurt."

"Don't worry! Nobody's gonna get hurt, okay?"

He used his fingers to lightly pinch the bridge of his nose. "I don't get it. How can you be so sure?"

She got up from her seat and bunked into his, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to comfortingly. "Because I believe in you. I know that you'll step up your game when it counts most, and I know you won't let anything happen to me. You've protected me all my life and I love you for that. But now, this little birdie's got wings and she wants to soar! I'm fifteen now, I can handle it."

Well, he couldn't fault her for that. His adventurous little sister could always put a smile on his face.

Xion stood from the chair and stretched. "Welp, I'm gonna go wash up."

Since they had no water, the two had to go down to the town's fountain court and cleanse themselves.

"Hey, I wanted to go first," Sora argued.

"Too bad," she responded, dashing off without warning. "I'm going first!"

Sora staggered out of his chair as he ran after her. "Hey, no fair! You cheater!"

* * *

His silver locks stretched all the way to his mid-back. It bounced lightly as he made his way into the town prison, cast off a few miles from the town walls. Some of the town's most heinous inmates served ridiculous yet necessary amounts of years in this penitentiary of little to no freedom. The R.G.P.D, Radiant Garden Police Department, had caught every potential threat, or certified threat, that could ever harm their relatively peaceful established order.

The woman at the front desk was busy clipping her fingernails. She didn't notice him until the last second.

"May I help you?"

"I'm here to speak to Xehanort."

"And who's requesting?"

"Xemnas Jaaku—grandson."

The woman performed a few keystrokes on the computer to locate file.

"Room 2001."

"Thank you."

Xemnas entered the elevator down the hall and went to the next floor above.

* * *

Water droplets from the faucet pattered against the sink, the silence of the room only making it louder. It was as if it were a metaphor for his time ticking away and his inevitable death would soon be upon him.

The old man sat on his bed in his lonesome, emptiness in his eyes. They had thick bags dragging them, and his cheeks looked as if they were slowly trickling down his face. His posture was hunched and he looked like he lacked emotion. Depressed was an understatement at this point.

The day of his defeat kept playing over and over again in his mind. How could he put on such a pathetic performance? He could think of innumerable ways he could have done things differently, a million different scenarios with higher rated chances of succeeding, but it didn't matter. None of these scenarios were reality. No matter how many times he thought about his defeat in a more positive light with the what-ifs, they were never going to come true.

And there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

Contemplating suicide seemed so silly before, but now he understood. After being locked up in prison for sixteen years, the thought of depriving himself from the rest of the world didn't seem so far fetched. What purpose did he serve? The only thing he had left to do was rot like the wrinkly old bastard that he was. He was only sixty-eight-years old, but he looked eighty-four, and he damn sure felt like it too.

His wrists were bound by very special cuffs that hindered him from summoning his Keyblade. He truly had no reason to live. Would there ever be a day for redemption? He needed a sign.

An officer banged on the bars with his stick, alerting the old man to slowly graze his head towards him.

"Xehanort, somebody's here to see you."

The officer opened the gate and helped the old, crumbling Master into the next room. Between the wall that barricaded the prisoners from the visitors, Xehanort sat down at the booth where he saw his twenty-five-year old grandson sitting on the other side with a telephone in hand.

The officer handed him the phone, seeing as to how he couldn't grab it himself with his own cuffed wrists. Master Xehanort squinted at Xemnas, his eyes suspicious.

"What are you doin' here, boy?"

"Nice to see you, too. I'm here to break you out, old man."

Master Xehanort looked at the officer that was holding the phone to his ear. He seemed inattentive, so he must not have heard what his grandson just said. He used his hands to snatch the phone away, albeit he struggled with his arthritis-filled fingers, he quivered while trying to get a hold of it.

"I got it," he said coldly.

The cop seemed to take no offense as he went to do whatever else. Master Xehanort turned his attention back to Xemnas.

"Okay…" Master Xehanort said, "why?"

"Look at you, you're pathetic in this confinement. I'm tired of the people around town smoldering your name for what you did all those years ago. They fail to recognize your brilliance and you don't deserve it."

Master Xehanort laughed. "I may be a sick bastard who doesn't care about anybody else besides myself, but one thing I know for sure, is that I deserve every single thing I've gotten."

Xemnas shook his head. "Don't say that."

"But it's true. I may not be a saint, but I'm no fool, either. I know that I'm a bad apple waiting to rot into permanent sleep. There's no need to sugarcoat the inevitable. I'm not a good person, and I deserve this."

Xemnas looked disheartened. "So after all of the trouble I've gone through to find you and hatch a plan to bring you out of this hell hole, you're just going to brush me off?"

Master Xehanort snickered. "I said that I deserve it—but tolerating it is a whole 'nother story, my boy."

Xemnas smirked. "You scared me for a second there."

"But what's with the sudden change of heart?"

Xemnas stared at the floor. "I want power. Respect. The Jaaku name has been nothing but a spit stain on the pavement for far too long and it's time we reclaim its glory. How could I ever do that without you?"

"Why do I get the feeling that you're just saying that to butter me up?"

"I'm telling you the truth." He looked around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. "Listen... have you heard of the X-blade?"

Xehanort remained unconvinced. "I don't know what you're thinking, but tell me what you know."

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed it! Go into this with the knowledge that most characters are gonna be OOC for a while, but the purpose is to try and develop the characters into their true personalities as the story progresses. **

**Hope you stick around! **


	2. Family Bonds

_Sixteen years ago..._

Dark clouds swam across the black sky.

Her neck was moist as she was riled up with anticipation. She swathed her forehead and shaded her eyes from the sky to get a better long range view. Far out into the distance, a sea of black entered Radiant Garden.

"It's time," she murmured.

No matter what the cost, they couldn't let Radiant Garden fall victim to those creatures. The landscape showcased old buildings with austere walls, a sandy surface spread for miles.

She turned around to see the palace, tall and proud. Three white sections clashed into make one gigantic castle, with the middle section being the thickest, shaped like a pentagon, and was surrounded by walls.

She busted inside to the main foyer. It was vast; the light cast from the grand chandelier bounced off the pale walls. She stood before the king. A row of men and women trailed behind her. They all shared one evident physical imitation: the pauldron located on their left shoulders.

"King Hope, the ambush has begun," she said. "With your approval, I'd like to now proceed with my defenses."

Velvet steps led to the throne of a man with short silver hair and aquamarine eyes. A crown rested on his head as he stood before the soldiers.

"We have reports of a Heartless army making its way towards Radiant Garden as we speak. It is up to you to put a stop to this before they kill the innocent."

He looked at _her. _Her rose colored hair framed her face perfectly, complimenting her blue eyes. Twenty one years was enough time to blossom such beauty.

"Claire Farron, as the leader, I trust that you will do whatever means necessary to protect our sacred land from treachery."

The young woman placed a hand on her chest as she bowed before him. "I've made an oath to protect Radiant Garden no matter what the cost, even if it means my life may be at stake." Her eyes were focused. "And please, King Hope—call me, Lightning."

She rose to her feet and turned to her group of Keyblade warriors. They bore metallic armor with broad shoulder pads clashed in gold and dark green colors.

"Today is the day we go head-to-head with Master Xehanort. Keep your guard up, fight with resilience, and don't let Xehanort get the upper hand. He _will _take advantage. We have to work together and do whatever it takes to make sure that innocent lives have nothing to fear. It's up to us as a unit. So, are we ready?"

The soldiers gave their leader a salute. "Ma'am!"

Three soldiers in particular caught her eye. They marked her most trusted companions with polished training in combat.

"Terra, Aqua, Ventus," she addressed them, "I will be counting on you to give it your all."

Terra and Aqua nodded as Ventus pounded a fist to his chest. "No worries! You know that we'll come out on top. We always do!"

She nodded. "Alright. We're off."

The soldiers dashed out of the palace. Before she could join them, Lightning felt Hope's hand gently grab her by the arm. "Yes, your Majesty?"

He sighed as he smiled at her. "Claire—or uh, Lightning. Be safe, okay?"

His sincerity caught her by surprise. She was nothing but a mere soldier to him, right? Their relationship was structured by morality and respect. He was only concerned that his top warrior would get hurt. Right?

She nodded before joining the others. Hope slouched back onto his throne. "Maybe I'm in love…" he muttered.

All at once, the soldiers smashed their palms against the pauldron on their left shoulders. As a coat of light bathed their bodies, they were soon locked tight within metallic armor suits. Light illuminated from their palms, revealing the Keyblades that chose these warriors for their strong hearts. The Keyblades transformed into gliders and its chosen wielders hopped atop of them. They rode them to the destination point.

The Heartless marched towards Radiant Garden. In their view over the horizon, a confinement of houses stood oblivious. An old man watched below from above on a cliff as his army prepared for attack.

His sneered malevolently. His broad, hunched shoulders attested to his weakened physique. His shabby posture did not account for his mentality; still he was as sharp as he once was as a young man.

He spotted Radiant Garden's defenses in the distance. He gestured with his hand and commanded his Heartless army to retaliate against the ambush. The Keyblade wielders landed on the sandy surface as their armor quickly detached itself.

The wielders summoned their Keyblades. They rushed towards the Heartless as the two forces collided. The soldiers clobbered the Heartless as an infectious adrenaline spread across the battlefield.

Lightning lifted her head to find Master Xehanort observing the scene unfold. She dashed her way up the cliff until she was face-to-face with the man who caused this devastation. He smirked, revealing his rotten and ruptured teeth. Lightning got into a stance.

"Come now," the old man spoke, his voice was raspy, "I should find this quite humorous."

She gripped her Keyblade tighter. "Don't even go there. I'm not as weak as you think. If you don't believe me, then see for yourself!" She pointed the Keyblade at him. "I cannot confirm your safety. If we take part in battle, your life may be at stake."

Master Xehanort chuckled. "Cute." Master Xehanort beckoned his own Keyblade.

Lightning's eyes simmered with concentration. She lunged at him with a battle cry and struck first, but the old man was able to parry her challenge. The two Masters clashed Keyblades relentlessly.

Lightning had been training for this day for a long time—ever since the Heartless destroyed her home town, Bodhum, when she was just a little girl. She could only assume it was his doing. She lost her mother that day with her father narrowly escaping, and thousands were killed because of this outrageous barbarian. As she grew into her teenage years, she trained herself in the art of Keyblade wielding. She could protect the innocent, and she went under a new alias as Lightning. She traveled until she found a home in Radiant Garden where she made acquaintance with King Hope Estheim. She swore to serve under his kingdom and vowed that if Xehanort ever tried to pull what he did on Radiant Garden in the same matter he did with Bodhum, she'd end his reign—permanently.

Lightning somersaulted as she came crashing down with her Keyblade aimed steady, but he blocked her once again. Luckily, she was able to land on her feet crouched. She quickly spun back up and pointed the Keyblade to the sky.

Jagged bolts of electricity crashed down on Master Xehanort. The impact stumbled him to the ground. He heavy air escaped him before he stuck his Keyblade into the ground. He used it for support to lift himself to his feet.

He listened for movement. With the whisper of a footstep to his right, he lashed his Keyblade out blindly until he heard grunts of pain. He blasted several orange energy globes towards her direction. She deflected each attack with a sharp shriek vibrating off every parry.

Her skill was impressive. She was more resourceful than he originally depicted. With a quick whirl, Lightning struck him directly in the gut, forcing him to hunch over. She smashed elbow into his back, grabbed him by the collar, and tossed him to the side.

Lightning summoned energy spheres. As she pointed her Keyblade at Master Xehanort, she commanded them to pelt him without mercy. When the smoke cleared, Xehanort body lay like a lifeless manikin. He could hardly stand. Lightning peered over the edge; the Heartless lessened dramatically.

She held her Keyblade in the air, threatening to stab him in the heart—assuming he had one. Death did not spark his fear. The Keyblade penetrated the dirt. His eyes beckoned for answers.

"I'm not you," she said. "I'm no killer. No matter how many lives you put at risk, no matter how many of my loved ones you kill, I can't condone myself into murder. If that'd be the case, I'd be no better than you."

He heard that tired speech before. "And that's why you're a fool, Miss Farron."

Her gaze averted to the ground. "You're probably right. But I can't kill anyone anymore. My heart just isn't into it these days. Consider yourself lucky, if this had gone down about two years ago, you'd be taking a dirt nap."

"If this had gone down two years ago," he grunted, "I wouldn't have lost. Hooray for you, taking down an old man whose prime is long and forgotten."

She rolled her eyes. "You're no ordinary old man. You know that. I wish I could kill you, you know?" She bent down and squeezed his jaw. "All the blood shed from your selfishness, it'd be about time someone offered you the same fate that you've given to countless others. I'm always this close to ending you, and then when I get the chance, I don't take it." She stood and hugged her arms. "I can't tell if I'm doing the right thing, or if I'm just chickening out. I don't get it. Why can't I kill?"

He chuckled. "I don't—understand it either. But if you ask me, you seem pretty comfortable foolishly leading yourself down the path of light. You stray away from the darkness more and more. How weak can you be?"

She snarled. "Quiet!" She chopped him in the forehead, shutting his eyes immediately. "That's enough out of you."

She took a few steps to look at the battle field below. The Heartless had been cleared out. Her fellow soldiers crowded around a victim. She launched into the air and dove down head first, quickly twirling her feet towards the ground at the last second.

She shoved her way through the crowd. Their faces, bruised, battered, and experienced. In the middle lay Ventus. Blood seeped from the side of his parted lips, and his eyes were colorless.

Aqua held him. She glanced up at Lightning with her tear stained cheeks. Ventus was like a little brother to her. Lightning hunkered down to level with him. He weakly turned to face her. His lips formed a small curve.

"How you holdin' up, soldier?"

"I think I got hit by one of those heartless one…too many times…"

She held his hand. "We'll get you through this, alright?"

His smile was killing her. Why was he so casual about this? Why was he so peaceful? This wasn't the end. If they hurried, they could get him some help and he'd be fine.

"I'm not gonna lose you. Come on, Ven. Toughen up!"

He turned to look back at the clouds as they snailed past the sky.

"Sorry," was Ventus's final word before his face froze. Aqua broke down. The other soldiers bowed their heads in honor, the males who cried only shed a few tears, and females didn't hold back any repressed emotions.

Lightning's eyes welted. She hadn't cried in years. Man up, Lightning. This was no time to be getting emotional. What happened—happened, and there was nothing she could do to fix it. She held the tears back.

Lightning pushed herself up to her feet and looked at Radiant Garden. The important thing was that she was able to keep their land safe.

"Now what do we do, ma'am?" one of the soldiers asked.

"We take Ven back to the castle. He deserves a proper burial."

"And what about Master Xehanort?"

"Don't worry about him. He's going to be locked up for a long time. I'll make sure he doesn't see the light of day ever again."

* * *

_Now..._

"Of course, grandfather, we have some work to do. But first things first, let's get the hell out of here."

Xemnas stood from his seat and shot an arrogant smirk to the guests sitting along the row, talking to their respective prisoners. Xemnas took a stance, spreading his legs and bending down slightly. He caught everyone's attention.

Xemnas closed his eyes. A fierce wind overtook the room, causing everyone accept Xehanort to get out of their seats. A sphere of darkness manifested in the cup of Xemnas's hands. He thrust his hands towards the guests that attempted to escape, but they were all caught in the fire. Deceased corpses splattered against the marble surface.

Xemnas spun and blasted another sphere towards the barrier of sound proof windows. The prisoners all ran back into their cells. Master Xehanort stood from his chair with a proud smirk. "Nice work. Making me proud to say we're related."

"Thanks. I think…"

An officer, with blood curdling down his neck, pulled the emergency lever. The lights blinked red and an alarm sounded through the rest of the prison.

"That's a sign that we're doing our job," Xehanort said.

"Hey you two, hold it!" Five officers ran their way with firearms in hand, already blasting at them.

Xemnas unleashed his Ethereal Blades. He whirled into the air, avoiding bullets, and swiped the cops with a deafening shank. Blood painted the floor.

Master Xehanort held out his linked wrists. Xemnas slashed the chain on the cuffs, making them disintegrate. Master Xehanort held his unused joints as pale spots lingered on his wrists.

"Shall we make our exit, grandfather?"

"We shall."

Reinforcements busted through the door with firearms in hand. "Hold it right there!"

Xehanort summoned the Keyblade he hadn't used since the day he was subdued by Lightning. He deflected every bullet before raising his Keyblade in the air. A Thundaga spell crashed onto the officers, leaving them stunned and unconscious.

By a shear miracle, one guard still stood. Xemnas grabbed a hold of him and used his elbow to smash into the guard's neck, which paralyzed him all the way into his trembling knees.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Xemnas asked.

"I would, actually."

Master Xehanort quickly slashed his Keyblade across the throat of the guard, beheading him quickly. Xemnas carelessly tossed the headless body to the ground.

"Well, that was fun," Xemnas said.

"Let's get out of here."

The two made their escape. They saw a window leading to the outside. They made their way towards it quickly, not waiting for extra reserves to show up. They could easily kill them, but it'd be a waste of time.

"Hey, get back here!" one of them yelled.

Xemnas lunged out of the window first, and as Master Xehanort did the same, he twirled midair and pointed the Keyblade towards the building. Like a gun, he shot bolts of Firaga at the prison. The facility shook until the columns gave in; it came timbering down with a vociferous crash.

Xehanort landed in front of his grandson.

"Impressive," Xemnas admitted. "Even as an old rooster you can kick ass."

"We need to send a message to anyone who thinks they want to step up to us. That ought to do it."

"I like your style."

"I know."

The two casually walked away from the rubble.

"I found a way to fulfill your lifetime dream, grandfather. Your dream of retrieving the X-blade, I've found the correct way to—

"The Keyblade war. Yes, I already know. I've been studying it for a lifetime. We need seven lights and thirteen darkness's to partake in one clash, and the Keyblade will be forged."

Xemnas lowered his gaze. "Oh." He was looking forward to the praise he'd get from his grandfather from finding out such a useful tidbit, but as always, Xehanort was one step a head.

Xehanort could sense Xemnas's disappointment. "Don't feel so discouraged, boy. You broke me out of that prison, that's something commendable. Now all we need to do is retrieve the other eighteen fated to meet at the Keyblade Graveyard."

"And how do we do that?"

"We do nothing. Patience. Fate has so humbly chosen our future. We'll see what kind of triumphs befall us in do time. Until then, I have some other hitches to apprehend."

"Like what?"

"My revenge," he said with a smirk. "We need to rally up eleven more darkness's. But in the meantime, I'm going to take back what was supposed to be mine in the first place—Radiant Garden."

"How do you suggest we do that?"

"Must you have so many questions with such obvious answers? We have to manufacture the Heartless once again and take that castle as my own." He chuckled. "But first, I'll need to regain my strength from my youth."

* * *

Sora eyes were glued to a salesman. He sold whiting fish and talked a mountain to nearly every potential customer that passed by him. Sora scanned the area with a full analysis in the alleyway around the corner.

"Psst…" a voice hissed.

He ignored it. His thoughts were too loud to be bothered.

"Psssstt!" they hissed noticeable louder as a finger tapped his shoulder. "Hey, Sora! Sora! Hey! Hey! Heeyyy!"

"WHAT?"

"Why are we just sitting here when we should be getting into action?"

He let out a breath. "Rule number one, if you want to tag along with me from now on, you've got to learn patience."

He resumed his scan. Xion huffed as she crossed her arms. _This _was what Sora did to get them some grub? Just sitting here to wait for it to fall in their lap? If that was the case, she'll gladly keep her ass home.

As if a light bulb popped over his head, Sora placed his back to the wall that they were hiding behind and slid down. He turned to his sister; her eyes were engrossed to the dirt while her thoughts went elsewhere. His gaze burred into her, causing her to return the stare. More so, it was an irritable glare. He rolled his eyes.

"I know you're bored, but we have to wait for the opportune moment. Did you expect us to just jump in there blind?"

"Well, it would've been more fun than _this._"

"Don't worry, here comes the fun part. I've got a plan."

Her expectations began to elevate. "Lay it on me, brotha!"

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Er, don't get too excited. It's not that big of a deal. Here's how it's gonna pan out. I'll distract the merchant; all you need to do is load this bag with the goods. You give me the signal, I patch it up with our sucker, and we head back to home base. Easy stuff!"

"That's it? I was expecting a much more elaborate plan then that, big brother. What a letdown."

"Rule number two, survival comes first. We don't need to get all fancy when we don't have to. Besides, this is the perfect take for an amateur like you."

"Amateur!?" Xion hated being labeled an amateur, even if it was true.

"Xi, put your pride away for two seconds and admit it, you're a total noob," he said with a chuckle.

"Fine," she huffed. "But for the record, this plan totally blows."

Sora didn't seem too offended. "Rule number three, don't question your big brother, because he knows best, young Padawan." He teasingly patted her on the head.

Xion crossed her arms with a stubborn pout. "Rules stink."

He left the conversation at that before tip toeing around the corner. The only thing in front of her was the bag that he brought. She sighed as she picked it up and spectated over the corner.

Sora walked casually but he was able to catch the merchant's attention.

"Ah, my boy! Would you like a delicious fish? It's the finest fish from the deepest seas in this central, only a blind man would resist it for fifty munny!" His accent had a hint of German in it. "You know what, for being a minor, I'll give it to you for forty!"

Sucker. Sora knew how persistent these annoying salesmen were, especially when you refused to accept their offers. Sora waved his hand. "Not interested."

"Ah, come on, boy! A strong young man like you needs some nutrients to keep that body strong, yes? Eat! Eating is good! Where will you be without food?"

Sora looked at him with fake annoyance. "Where will I be? Where will _**you**_ be if I find out this food is just a scam to get me sick, huh?" Sora placed his hands on the table in front of him, which was sticky due to the fish juice but he tried to pay it no mind. "Are you with the government? How am I supposed to know if you're not trying to poison me, man?! Did the government put you up to this, man?!"

The merchant was anxious. "I-I-I have no idea what you're—"

Sora cut him off by forcefully grabbing the man by his collar. "Don't _fuck _with me, man! I'm not 'bout that life, man!"

Xion saw Sora give her a very subtle glance that she would have missed if she blinked. She tip toed over to their position. Like a snake, she slithered through the legs of the pedestrians that walked ahead absentmindedly.

She looked over the table and saw that the merchant was still preoccupied. She quickly began stuffing fish inside of the bag.

"Listen up, I'm on a super secret special mission where the details are classified! I can't trust anyone, not even my own gold fish! Okay, man?! So who sent you, huh? WHO SENT YOU?"

"P-P-P-Please, I-I am in no way associated with whatever it is you prattle on about! I am only an honest merchant trying to feed myself and my fifteen cats."

Fifteen cats? What a loser. "Yeah, well, how do you know I can trust you?"

"Here, here!" The merchant took a handful of his fish and stuffed them into Sora's hand. "There you go, you can have them! Free of charge!"

Now he and Xion were going to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"Well, okay. I'll believe you. But if you're lying, I will not hesitate to eradicate you into a dark abyss with my powers of extraterrestrial telekinesis."

The man looked appalled but bowed before Sora anyway. "Yes, whatever you say, sir."

"Call me general sexy ass from now on."

"W-what?"

Sora looked paranoid again. "Or are you the enemy?" Sora set his fish aside and grabbed the man by his collar. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO SCREW WITH ME, MAN!"

"No, no! I am no enemy of yours! I apologize…"

"You apologize to who?"

"To you…?"

"To who?"

The merchant sighed. "To you, general sexy ass." All dignity was now lost.

It kept everything Sora had to keep a straight face. He saw Xion with a bag full of the goods back at the corner. She gave him a signal telling him to wrap it up. Maybe he was having too much fun with this. He let go of the cowardly salesman and shoved him.

"Alright, but I better not have to come back here again."

Sora picked up his fish and made his way with the merchant scratching his head.

"What just happened?" he asked to no one in particular.

Sora walked with a slight bounce in his step. It was a job well done and nothing got in his way. That was, until a thick, greasy hand covered the boy by his mouth.

"Got you! I should have known a peasant like you would be causing trouble!"

Pete blew on his whistle. His guard scurried to the sound like moths to a flame. His grip was too tight for Sora to pull a fast one.

"Looks like I got you this time, kid…"

Sora shielded his nose with his free hand. "Dude, your breath smells like you've been chewing on your toilet seat."

Right on cue, Xion leaped onto Pete's back.

"Get your filthy hands off my brother!"

"YAH!" Pete said as Xion gave him the wedgie he'd never forget any time soon.

He dropped Sora as he rubbed his rear end. Xion ran over to Sora and helped him up. "Come on, come on, we gotta hurry!"

Sora made his way to his feet but they were surrounded by guards.

"You didn't think I'd let you get away that easily, did you?!" Pete was livid and so embarrassed that his cheeks were red. He couldn't believe that girl gave him a wedgie. "Don't just stand there you idiots, get them!"

The guards all dog piled onto Sora and Xion. It wasn't long before a battle royal commenced. Nobody really cared about Sora and Xion anymore because they were all too busy fighting each other, which made for the perfect escape for the two adolescent thieves.

Sora led his sister through the shortcut he had mapped out internally. Xion was already tired. Her feet began to get blisters from the constant shuffling. He had a point; this wasn't what it was cracked up to be.

They made it to the abandoned library at last with Xion releasing heaps of air, her chest heaving in and out.

"Are you really that exhausted?" Sora asked. She breathed out her response so bad that he couldn't make out. "That was a walk in the park for me. You must be out of shape."

Once she caught up to her breath, she shot a glare at him. "Hey, next time, don't have so much fun on the mission. You nearly got us in trouble because you were taking so long to distract that guy."

He merely shrugged. "Hey, we made it out okay, didn't we? Besides, Pete can't catch me. It doesn't matter how hard he tries, I'll always come out on top."

Her glare intensified. "Yeah, of course you will," she said. "It's that kind of mindset that'll get you killed. I just wish you weren't so full of yourself."

She grazed past him as she headed up the ladder to the second floor of the library. Sora didn't look too offended.

"Huh, who gave your panties a pull?"

She ignored him as she continued pulling herself up the ladder. Sora followed the suit. Xion opened the window and tossed the bag of fish inside carelessly. Sora picked up the bag as he set it down on the table. Xion's jaw dropped.

"We're not about to eat them like this, are we?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you an idiot?"

"Yes!"

He rolled his eyes. "No, genius. We'll get sick. I'm gonna go grab us some wood. We can start a fire out in the alleyway."

Sora headed further into the room, most likely going to get one of his custom made tools. Xion sat down at the table, not really knowing what to do. She was hungry, exhausted, and it seemed like she'd have to wait another twenty minutes to fill her belly that was begging for food.

Sora came out from the shelves with a pocket knife. He was going out into the nearby woods so he needed it just in case for protection.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "Get your lazy ass up and take the fish out to the alleyway."

Xion flailed her arms up. "FINE!"

Her hostility was making him nervous. Sora kept his thoughts to himself as he went down the ladder.

* * *

Being a princess was lonesome.

Kairi remained dressed in her nightgown despite it being the afternoon; she had no intention of sleep. She rested her chin on her right palm as her elbow leaned on the sill, watching outside with droopy eyes.

The garden was gorgeous. A vibrant green spread the majority of it. A big water fountain sat triumphantly in the center, along with a gate that separated the open space from the plants that the servants tended to daily. There was a statue of their pet tigress, Flame, as well.

Kairi absentmindedly watched the maid water the flowers. She was at peace for someone simply maintaining plants. Kairi was the princess, she was this woman's boss, and Kairi had the privilege of getting anything she wanted. This maid—this _slave _had nothing. She was destined to serve under Kairi for the rest of her worthless life, and yet it was _Kairi _who was depressed? There was something wrong with this picture.

The soft smile that the maid wore so radiantly tore Kairi apart. What did it take to gain such tranquility? How dare this maid be happy when Kairi was torn between depression and anger?

Kairi placed her hands on the sill and bent down as she yelled. "You! Maid!"

The maid jumped as she turned around. She waved with a smile. "Oh, hello princess! How are you this fine afternoon?"

"Cut your babbling! Just what do you think you're doing back here?!"

Suddenly, the maid's smile didn't seem appropriate. "Your mother requested that I tend to the garden today since William stopped by the market in Disney Town."

"Well, I want you to leave the backyard premises immediately and go clean the basement! I don't want you frolicking around back here, destroying my personal view of the garden! You put quite the damper on it, if I may say!"

The basement was the messiest corridor in the entire citadel. But if the maid didn't follow instructions, she was most definitely going to get it later on.

"As you wish, your Highness."

"Get out of my sight, before I have you beheaded!"

The maid picked up her water pot and quickly jogged inside of the castle. Kairi exhaled as a sudden uncomfortable warmth ran through her veins. Her muscles relaxed as she slouched over the window sill, her hair spilling over the ledge. Even she had to internally admit it wasn't fair to take her anger out on the maid for being happy. She stumbled over to the bed, sinking into the mattress as she sulked in boredom and depression.

Someone knocked on her door.

"Go away."

She heard the door being opened despite her protest.

"I said go away!"

Kairi stopped. She thought it was one of her parents or one of the servants. Instead, it was a girl only a year older than the princess. Elegant pink hair the same color as Claire's made it down to her mid-back, and a dress that hoisted itself around her waist.

"Hello, my wonderful niece."

Kairi rolled her eyes. It was the _last _person she wanted to see.

"What do you want, Serah? And what are you doing here?"

Serah placed her hands on her hips and frowned. "Is that any way to say hi to your auntie that you haven't seen in over a year? The same old Kairi, I guess."

Kairi growled. "MOTHER!"

Serah sighed as she shut the door and entered the room further, taking a seat next to Kairi on her bed. "No need for drama, Kai. Jeez, you're so tense all the time. Here, let me give you a massage."

Serah rubbed Kairi's shoulders, which admittedly, felt pretty good. Not that it mattered. Kairi hated this woman. She had everything Kairi desired.

Serah had curves, much bigger, perkier breasts than Kairi and her sex appeal trumped her own. She was liked by everybody. Her parents were proud of her for the way she carried herself. She had a boatload of friends, and not because of riches either, but more so for her personality. And to top it all off, she had what Kairi wanted most: freedom. For the most part, Kairi had always been locked up inside of her castle due to being worth a fortune and was only allowed outside the palace to go to mandatory ceremonies and events, but it wasn't like Kairi could do whatever she wanted. Most of the time she'd be confined to a chair while watching an uninteresting production.

Serah may have been rich thanks to her big sister, Queen Claire, but she held no royal titles such as princess or queen. Despite how respected Serah was when she went out into the town, she was never in any danger. If Kairi decided to go outside of the palace walls without protection, she'd most likely be seen as the equivalent to a celebrity and become the target of a mob.

All that, combined with the fact that she lacked social skills—led to Kairi hating her aunt with a passion.

"Why so tense, Kairi? You're too pretty to be looking so down. A princess needs to be looking her best at all times a day."

"Kiss. My. Ass."

Serah didn't seem offended. She was used to her niece's behavior. "My! Such language from the pristine princess!"

Hope and Claire would have had a fit if they heard Kairi swearing. Apparently, it was against the rules for someone of higher authority to speak foul language, nor was it okay for anyone of a lower authority to say as such in the presence of royalty.

"Why are you here?" Kairi repeated the question. She slapped Serah's hands away from her. "And quit touching me, you frog!"

"Hmph, you ought to be more appreciative to someone who had the courtesy to come all this way to warn you about the danger to come."

Kairi lifted an eyebrow. "Danger to come?"

Serah plunked herself up from the mattress and leaned against a nearby dresser. "I got word from my old man that there's some trouble starting to stir. One of the Radiant Garden Defense Quarters was blown into smithereens. There were quite a few casualties."

Kairi scoffed. "As if I care. They had no business being in prison in the first place."

Serah rolled her eyes. "What if I told you that the ones who caused the destruction are headed this way to Radiant Garden as we speak?"

Now Kairi was interested, but she sobered pretty quickly. "And what do they plan on doing? Them and what army could harm my empire of slaves that will willfully do the damage that is necessary? I'm not afraid."

"Can I please get done explaining?"

"You speak when I tell you to," Kairi said as she examined her nails. "Who are the ones who did this?"

"We don't know yet. The only reason we got these reports is because your servants witnessed the explosion on their way back from Disney Town. Two men claimed that they were on their way here to discuss business with the queen."

"Then why are you telling me this? Shouldn't this information be passed on to my mother?"

"Don't you get it? Your mother, my sister's life may be in danger! I mean—don't you care?"

Kairi gripped her file. How dare she be questioned by such a frog? "That should not concern you. I have no control over what happens to her."

"You're heartless!"

Kairi ignored her as she placed the file back on the drawer and lay down on the bed, her back turned towards her aunt.

"What a brat," Serah said. She let out a breath. "Anyway, not sure if you care, but my dad is downstairs telling all of this to your mom as we speak."

"Why don't you go join them? You're stuffing the air that I need to breathe."

"Well, _excuse me _for trying to give you a fair warning." Serah cursed under her breath as she slammed Kairi's door shut.

Downstairs, King Hope and Queen Claire sat at their thrones as Merlin told them the situation. Serah leaned her arms on the second floor staircase rails as she watched the conversation below.

"To make matters worse, Heartless have been reappearing in the town recently. There haven't been too many witnesses, b-b-but there is one casualty."

"The Heartless are back?" Claire asked in frustration. She slammed her fist onto her arm rest. "Damn it!"

"Calm down, honey," Hope suggested. Claire took a deep breath as she leaned back into her chair, crossing her arms with her eyes closed.

"What else do you know?"

"That's all I have to give. This is just a warning, but might I suggest we begin with preparations? Anything could happen."

"He's right, Claire. We need to send soldiers out into the town and make sure they're able to hinder anyone from entering the premises. That also might come in handy to stop the Heartless from spreading before it gets too chaotic like the last time."

Claire gasped as if she stumbled onto an epiphany. "What about Kairi? We need to think about her safety as well."

Hope looked slightly confused. "Well, yeah—but—"

"We won't be here every moment of the day. If our town is in danger, if our people are in danger, then we have to help solve the problem."

"And if we die…?"

Merlin stroked his beard while pondering. "I have a solution. Give her a bodyguard."

"A bodyguard, huh?" Hope pondered as he leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin.

"That's a great idea. But how do we find somebody?"

After a few moments, Merlin was able to come up with something. He had a trick or two up his sleeve, being a very well respected wizard. He performed a few hand gestures as he waved his trusty wand around, and through purple smoke, a stone immersed in front of the thrones. A handle stuck out of it. It must have been a Keyblade.

Hope jumped to the sight. He got out of his chair and paced around the large stone with keen interest, examining it cautiously.

"That is a very special Keyblade," Merlin explained. "I concocted a spell that was designed specifically for your daughter. There is one man out there who is worthy of protecting the princess from danger. He and your daughter are linked, and have a very special connection. Whoever that man may be, will only be allowed to lift the Keyblade from its position. He shall wield it at his command and use it to protect the kingdom, a-a-and your beloved child from any danger."

"Seems a bit too convenient, Dad," Claire said. "You're telling me that you just magically thought up the idea to make a spell specifically designed for my daughter and didn't tell us, but decided to save it for a rainy day?"

"Don't be silly, Claire," Merlin said, almost looking offended. "Don't you remember when Kairi was born? I made her touch this very Keyblade while you held her in the hospital bed. T-That moment created a special link between her and this blade. Now at this age, her subconscious can choose who is best fit to wield it in order to protect her. I always have spells designed for my family just for precautionary reasons. Even for you. Just be grateful that the problem is solved."

"Um, not exactly." Claire leaned on her palm while her elbow relaxed on the arm rest. "Now we need to go hunting down for the one who will actually be able to wield this Keyblade. How do we know if this man is even in Radiant Garden? What if he's in another country?"

Merlin shook his head. "You're misunderstanding the situation, Claire. Whoever this man is, he is destined to meet your daughter and protect her. Whatever the may case be, he'll be here. Destiny is the inevitable."

Hope wrapped his hands around the Keyblade and pulled using all of his strength. He had an impressive set of biceps, but he still failed to lift it properly. He ended up injuring his back as he fell against the floor.

From above on the rails, Serah laughed. "Nice try, old man!"

Hope gave her the evil eye as Claire helped him up. He noticed she was trying to repress her laughter as well.

"It's not funny, you guys!"

"Well, a-at least my point is proven. Not just any man can use this Keyblade. Only the chosen one…"

Claire remained skeptical. "Are you sure about this, Dad?"

"Destiny," he simply answered as he entered the kitchen, quite proud of himself.

"Now what do we do?" Hope asked as he cracked his back into the right position.

"You think I know?" It wasn't like she knew what the hell was going on either. Was this "chosen one" supposed to just randomly waltz in there and lift that Keyblade as if he were the best damn thing to grace this town?

"I have an idea!" a voice from above said. Serah came running down the stairs until she met up with her sister. "How about we just have every man in the town come to the castle and try to lift the blade out of its position?"

It was such a simple plan, but it was their only option.

"I guess that's the best we got right now," Claire admitted.

"Perfect!" Serah clapped.

"Well, you two go on ahead and plan things. I think I need something to ease my back…" Hope said hopelessly. He staggered into the kitchen. "Merlin! Let me cop that cheese grater, yo!"

Serah raised an eyebrow. "Uh, why is he talking like that?"

Claire smiled and shrugged. "He's just being silly."

Serah watched as the King entered the kitchen. She was totally checking him out. "I see…"

Claire didn't like the look in her little sister's eyes.

"Gotta admit, sis, you caught you a good one. Seriously, he is _fine, _the walking embodiment of a hunk." She licked her lips to her dirty thoughts.

Claire smiled. "I know." She clutched a hand on her sister's shoulder. "And if you try anything with him, I'll rip that pretty little hair of yours off your head, are we clear?"

"Crystal." Claire's grip intensified to the point where Serah's legs nearly buckled. "Hey, uh—Claire—you're hurting me…"

The creepy grin never left. "I know."

* * *

The flame angrily swished back and forth in the air as it gradually melted the wood into ashes.

Sora and Xion sat across from each other in the alleyway right next to the library. They held a stick; both with a sharp edge and a dead fish penetrated by the tip. They held the fish close to the fire, waiting for them to be safe to eat.

They sat in a comfortable silence. It was usual for Sora but it was odd for Xion. She usually talked the night away, but not this time. Sora figured she was still disappointed by the lack luster of an adventure they shared earlier.

"Hey," he said to break the ice, "are you okay? Still upset about earlier?"

She shook her head with her half shut eyes still fixated on the beautiful fire. "No."

"Then, what is it?"

Xion glared at him as she aimed the fish to her mouth, taking a big, crunchy bite. Not once did her eyes part from his.

Sora fanned himself a little. Did he do something bad? He gave her a fair warning earlier. What was she getting so upset about? "Are you mad at me?"

"What do you think?"

"Okay…" Sora took a bite out of his fish, looking at the stars with a bored expression.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I'm mad at you?"

He shrugged, focusing on the few twinkles that lingered in the evening sky. "What's the point? Even if I asked, you were just going to act stubborn until I begged."

She blushed, because he was right. She had done that ever since they were kids. What made him think he was so smart?

"S-shut up!"

Sora chuckled. "When you're ready to tell me, I'll be waiting." He rested his back against the ground as he mindlessly fed himself with the fish. Star gazing was a nice pastime.

Xion hated it when he outsmarted her. She liked it better back it the old days when she was in control and was able to make him beg for her forgiveness. What got into him? That smug look of him not caring just made her skin boil. She clenched her fists.

"YOU'RE NEVER THERE FOR ME!"

He poked his head up to look at her. "Say what?"

"There, I said it. You happy?" Xion stuffed the rest of her fish in her mouth, threw the stick to the side, and started making her way up the ladder. She didn't even get up the second step before a hand tugged on her worn out black tank top. She got him now, hook, line, and sinker.

"Hold on a sec. What do you mean I'm not there for you?"

Xion gulped her fish down as she hopped down from the ladder and dusted her shorts off. "I was just joking. I only said that to get your attention," she smiled innocently.

Sora wasn't amused, but he should have figured she was joking because he was always there for her. Xion wasn't a particularly needy girl. "Have I ever told you that I hate you?"

"Maybe once, twice or so."

Sora walked over to the wall and slid his back against it until he sat down. "Well, you got my attention. So, what's on your mind?"

Xion sat down next to him. "Well, it's just… I'm worried about you, okay?"

Sora's face fell from the disappointing answer.

"I know, I know, I've told you this a million times. But this time, after getting a taste of what you go through every day, and seeing how careless you are," he scoffed at that remark, "it makes me worried that someday that cockiness will get to that big, goofy head of yours and then it'll bite you on the butt. Then what'll I do? If you're gone, I'm totally screwed. And more importantly, I'll never see you again."

Sora didn't know what to say so he just looked straight ahead and allowed her to speak.

"I think about it a lot, you know. It's depressing, but I can't stop thinking that one day you might not come back home. I try not to show it, but you don't know how happy and relieved I am every time I see your ugly face walk through the window with that stupid smile." She sighed, soon smiling as her eyes watered up. Sora's face remained emotionless and unmoved, eyes locked on the wall across from them. "I just don't want to lose you, Sora…"

She rubbed her eyes. She hated looking so vulnerable in front of him. It was embarrassing, but she had to let him know. Hopefully, he'd be more careful when he knew how much she worried about him every day.

"It's—kind of, funny. I wanted to keep this from you, but I can't really hold back any longer. Sora, you're the best brother ever… okay? You're the best damn thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't want to lose you! Do you hear me? So promise me, you won't leave me… promise me you'll be more careful… okay? O-okay?" Her words started to break up, the tears kept pushing to come out. "You're the best damn thing that's ever happened to me…"

Next thing she knew, she was enveloped into a hug.

"I didn't know you were affected this much. I never really considered how you felt about all this. All I cared about was keeping you well fed and…"

He hesitated for some reason. He let out a much needed breath.

"…and I'm sorry."

Xion hugged him back as she allowed a single tear seep down her porcelain colored cheeks.

Sora never even took into consideration that despite all of the times he risked himself for her sake, to feed her and fill her empty stomach—that he was her brother first and foremost. If something happened to him, then everything he did for her wouldn't mean anything because she wouldn't have _him_ anymore. He knew he and Xion loved each other, but he didn't even consider that she cared about him just as much as he cared about her. She must have been in so much pain under that cheerful surface.

_Three years ago…_

_A thirteen year old Sora ran into the alleyway. It was another smooth steal. He didn't even have to deal with Pete this time around. The short brunet climbed up the ladder until he reached the second floor. He went into his one-strap backpack and pulled out two loafs of bread, and they were big enough for them both to have one for each of them. _

"_Xion's gonna be so excited!" _

_Sora opened the window. He told his sister a million times to lock the door whenever he left, but he decided he'd let it go. It was a special occasion after all. _

_He carefully went through the window and locked it to make sure nobody came in during the night. You can never be too careful. Sora learned that very early in his years. That didn't stop him from being careless whenever dealing with Pete, but that was beside the point. _

_He placed the backpack on the table as he walked further in the room with the food in both hands. "Xion? Where are you? I got a surprise for you." _

_No sign of her. Where was he was she? She didn't leave, did she? _

_It wasn't long before he found Xion's back turned to him while she was crouched down at one of the corners. _

"_Xion?" _

_She perked up. "Oh, Sora!" _

_He heard a sniff from her direction. It was subtle, but it was there. She turned around with a big smile on her face. _

"_You're back!" _

_She walked up to him, but he eyed her suspiciously. "Are you okay?" _

_She returned the stare. "Do you know who you're talking to? Nothing ever gets me down, and you know that!" She lightly punched him on the shoulder. _

_He was right. Xion wouldn't be crying. Sora put on a smile and showed her the bread. "Well, I got your favorite!" _

_She gasped. "Curry bread!" _

_He nodded. "One for both of us." He handed her a loaf, to which she graciously took. _

"_Sora…" she smiled with admiration. _

"_Happy birthday!" _

He felt like an idiot. How could he have been so blind?

They parted and Sora held her by the shoulders. "Don't you worry, okay? I'm never going to leave your side. I'll always be here to protect you and nobody's going to get in the way of that."

"You promise?"

"I promise." He wiped a tear away from her eye. "Don't cry, okay? You're making me all emotional, and you know I hate that."

She sniffed. "Okay."

He sat down next to her once again and let out a breath.

"Sora."

"Hm?"

"I love you."

He realized that he and his sister were probably closer than the majority of other brothers and sisters, but he wouldn't have liked it any other way.

"I love you too, fella," he said teasingly as he ruffled her hair.

She made a fake pouty face. "You're terrible."

"But let's not forget that I'm the best, sexiest brother ever."

"Well, you are the best brother in the whole wide world, but that second part is debatable."

"You're such a mood killer."

"Says the guy who called me fella while messing up my hair after I tried to give us a moment." She giggled as she rested her head on his shoulder. Sora took it all in good nature as he looked up at the sky. He had no intentions of leaving Xion miserable if something happened to him, so he had to make sure he was more careful, for her sake.

"It's been three years, hasn't it?" Sora asked whimsically. "Since they've been gone…"

Xion nodded. "Yeah… when the Heartless took them from us. Now they're looking down on us."

"I hope so."

Something felt weird, as if his life was about to change drastically. Maybe he was just being weird. Or was his life about to take a huge detour?

…

Nah. He was just being weird.

* * *

**This story is yet to have a review -_- Come on people! Don't let me down and don't be shy! I don't bite! I swear! *hides insanely sharp teeth* Hehehehe...**

**And much love to Lightning Shock, lordibau, and SoranoxSora for following this story and showing support! **


	3. Luck Runs on Fuel

"Uhn…_ohhh…_"

His eyelids rose at a gradual pace. A nearly cloudless sky greeted him, along with settled weather. His breath tasted like rotten milk. Sora hated waking up. No matter how much he tried not being an insomniac and sleep at appropriate times, he still felt like crap by the time the sun rudely interrupted his slumber.

He was still in the alleyway. His memories were dusty, but he and Xion must have fallen asleep out here. It was dangerous, but fortunately his skin was free from any abnormal scrapes. His sister lied her head on his lap as if it were a pillow. He chuckled at her innocence. He carefully hoisted her upper body and lay her back down on the rough ground. Xion may have been the sweetest thing in the world most of the time, but if the girl woke up on your behalf, you might as well moon a fire breathing dragon. Both cases offered a possibility of death.

Sora stretched as he made his way to his feet. He wondered what the agenda today would be. He obviously had to get more food, with last night's fish digested. He wanted to go get them some breakfast, but he couldn't leave Xion alone by herself while ignorant of external boundaries. At the same time, waking Xion up was not an option.

He decided to just wait her out, then they could grab some breakfast together.

He heard footsteps. Had she woken up already? Sora turned to see a black creature with sharp yellow eyes creeping up on his sister. It was a Heartless! He thought he'd seen the last of them years ago. Its claws curved into the air.

He used the brunt of his elbow to knock the Heartless back a few feet.

"Back off!" Sora said as he got into a protective stance. The Heartless's attention shifted towards him. It flung in an attempt to whip Sora with its claws, but he dodge rolled out of the way, all the while grabbing one of the sticks he used for fish eating last night.

Sora got into a stance. The Heartless grazed towards him the only way it knew how. Sora parried every mindless movement it made. He glanced at Xion. How was she able to sleep with all this commotion?

He somersaulted into the air. Xion gradually came into consciousness. Her groggy eyes quickly turned into alert ones when she noticed her brother battling with a Heartless.

Sora landed close to his sister, who was still in terror on the ground. "Xion, get out of here, it isn't safe!"

Who did he think he was? Did he not learn anything from last night? She stood up to her feet and took his side.

"What are you doing?!" Sora rolled his eyes. "I said leave!"

"Not going anywhere. I'm not gonna just leave you like this."

Sora groaned. Why did she have to play hero all of the time? If Xion would just listen to him, life would be so much easier. Nonetheless, once her mind was made up—it was set in stone.

The Heartless sprung towards them, targeting Sora first. It hurled both of its feet to kick him against the wall. Xion angrily spun in the air until her foot connected to the Heartless, knocking it back a few. Sora helped himself up. It seemed like no matter what they did, they weren't strong enough to put this thing to rest.

Sora ran towards it with his stick trailing behind, but the creature propelled its body towards the boy.

"Jigs up, pal!"

Sora swung a slow, heavy hit, giving the Heartless enough time to duck and scratch at his chest. Sora crashed onto the ground. He didn't let the epic fail get to him as he sprung back up to his feet, only to be met with the wrath of claws scraping at his face, finishing it off with a hard blow to the shoulder. Sora's limp body arched in pain.

Xion winced and slapped her forehead. Perhaps a whiz at thievery, but a lost puppy when handling creatures born out of darkness. She sprinted at the Heartless that was inches away from devouring her brother, and she quickly hit him with hard left and right fists. She ended her assault with a spin in the air, finishing with a hard punch right to the creature's face, which thrust its back onto the ground, skidding across the dirt.

However, it wasn't long before the Heartless leaped back up to its feet, seemingly unharmed. It didn't matter what they did, they didn't have the attributes that would grant them victory, and this Heartless was practically toying with them. Xion knelt down to her brother. His skin was dryer than a raisin and pale. She shook him to get his head back in the game.

"Come on, big brother! This is the absolute _worst _time to take a nap!"

He responded with a moan. Xion trembled as her eyes settled back onto the Heartless closing in on her like prey. She gulped but put her fears behind her. Sora wouldn't give up on her if their roles were reversed. She squared up.

Before they could do battle, the Heartless suddenly collapsed into dark matter. Xion paused. What just happened? Did she have x-ray vision—was she the second coming of Medusa?!

All those potentially awesome thoughts came to an end once she saw Cid in the distance with his high-tech firearm in hand.

"Cid!" she cried.

He stepped up to her with a wink. "I got ya covered, Xion." He noticed Sora before returning his attention back to the raven head. "What happened?"

"I dunno, I just woke up and I saw Sora fighting that—that thing! It's called a Heartless, right?"

"You'd be correct, darlin'." Cid crouched down to take a look at the bruised and battered Sora.

Xion watched him as he awkwardly stared at her brother. "Uh—do you think he's gonna be okay?"

"Meh, just a few minor hits. He may need an ice pack or somethin', but other than that, the bastard'll be back on his feet in no time," Cid said as he grabbed Sora by the head, smirking at him looking so defeated. He was used to seeing Sora standing tall with an 'S' on his chest so much that it was a little amusing to see him so conquered.

"How did you know we were in trouble?"

"Didn't. Just so happened to pass by. You kids should consider yourselves lucky." He spun his blaster in hand swiftly. "I never leave the house without this little guy. Ya never know when fate will decide to screw with you for a bit, and then you might need it."

She couldn't argue with that. The predicament she had just went through attested to that statement.

"I'll say. Think I can borrow one of those?"

Cid chuckled as he stood up and disheveled her hair. "Maybe when you're older. There's been a couple sightings of Heartless around the town, but the king and queen sent out some fellas to put a stop to that earlier."

"Where are you headed? You going to work?"

"You didn't hear? King Hope has requested every male go to the palace. There's some sort of Keyblade in a stone. Whoever pulls it out has to protect the princess from these threats."

"Threats?"

"Don't ask me for details. I'm almost in the same boat as you. But just think if I can get that Keyblade—I'll have the power to do whatever I want, _and _quit my pathetic job too!"

Xion wondered if perhaps Sora would be capable of obtaining that Keyblade. If he could, they could finally get out of these streets and not have to live in a library anymore. Their lives would definitely change—and hopefully for the better.

She looked at her snoozing brother. She giggled at the drool that scaled the corner of his mouth. He was so hopeless, she doubted he'd ever be able to pull out that Keyblade. And with the way that Heartless whooped him, he probably wasn't even suitable for that kind of responsibility anyway.

She noticed Cid daydreaming about quitting his pathetic job.

"Hey, a little help?"

Cid picked Sora up and draped the boy over his shoulder. He climbed up the ladder with Xion soon following behind. Cid opened the window and made his way inside. He grimaced at an obnoxious odor floating about. It was such a shame to see these kids fend for themselves in this rundown library. He would have taken them in himself if it weren't for the fact that he could barely make ends meet for him alone. How could he handle two teenagers?

Besides, they lived here by themselves for the past three years. If they could do that, which was highly impressive for their ages, then they obviously had what it took to survive for a while longer. That didn't stop him from worrying, though.

Xion went past him and stopped at the table, pulling out a chair. "You can just set him right here."

Cid did as requested, once again turning his attention to the scenery. It was such a shame for these kids to have to go through something like this. Their childhood years were completely ripped away from them.

"Hey kid, you ever think of you and your brother—I don't know—going to a foster home or something? Maybe put yourselves up for adoption?"

She jeered. "We like the freedom that we have. This may not be the cleanest of lifestyles, constantly worming around the city shoplifting our needs, sometimes even begging… but it's all we know." Xion went into one of the cabinets and pulled out a first aid kit. She used it whenever Sora came home with some kind of injury. "Besides, we're teenagers. Sora's only two years away from being an adult, and I'm going on sixteen soon myself. It's a bit too late for adoption."

Xion sat in the seat next to Sora, his eyes still shut. That Heartless must have really done a number on him. She went into her box until she pulled out some wipes that could clean the blood. She wiped his cheeks.

Cid looked at the sight admirably. These kids were strong. He didn't even know if he could handle half of what they had to go through every day even at his current age. But _their _age? He had a feeling these two were destined for greatness. They didn't need his protection. This was where they were supposed to be.

"Well, if ya ever need anything, you know where to find me."

She gave him a smile. "Of course. Thanks, Cid."

He saluted to her.

* * *

Master Xehanort and his grandson walked up to some sort of house. It looked like a dome cut in half with a door in the front. Next to the door was a keypad.

"This is where I once lived," Xehanort said. "I trained using the darkness until I deemed myself worthy of destroying Radiant Garden."

Xehanort pressed the appropriate numbers on the pad. An automatic door opened before them. The old man presented it to Xemnas.

"You first."

Xemnas entered the facility and was amazed at what came into his sight. The area was mostly white, but there were lots of equipment resting in the area. A lot of it was blanketed with dust due to the absence of any presence for years. The place smelt awful, but the scenery was too impressive to allow his attention to be diverted. There were stations that showcased containers of liquids, lab jackets hung on the coat racks, and computers pretty made the walls.

"So this is where you worked…" Xemnas said to himself mostly.

Xehanort stood next to him with his arms behind his back. "It's been about eighteen years, but this is where I used to conduct experiments on the darkness. I used to be exceedingly intrigued by the it."

"I never knew you were a scientist."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, boy." Master Xehanort paced himself over to one of his inventions, placing a hand on it as he looked at it with reminiscing eyes. "This was one of the first contraptions I created."

"What does it do?"

He gave Xemnas a smirk. "It will return me my strength. I saved it just for this sort of occasion."

Xehanort pressed a few buttons on the pad, afterwards pulling a big lever. The machine began rumbling, causing Xemnas to get a little cautious. Xehanort never moved an inch as he smiles devilishly. Out of one of the capsules, a vial popped up with green liquid inside. The elderly man took it without indecision.

"With this, boy, we'll be able to really begin our plans. It only takes one sip…"

Xehanort poured the contents of the vial down his throat. Xemnas watched in horror as the Master started hacking. Xehanort crouched down as his body transformed.

"Grandfather!"

Master Xehanort cried out of pain as his muscles tensed up. His hands quivered with sweat, but that diabolical smile didn't leave once from his disturbing face. "Yes…yes!"

Xemnas eyes focused hard as the smoke cleared to reveal his grandfather—but he no longer looked eighty four years old. He looked as if he were in his early thirties.

Master Xehanort's hair was long and refined, reaching slightly past his shoulders. Xemnas helped Xehanort up to get a look at his face. Without a doubt it was younger, what with his chiseled features.

Xehanort opened his eyes and it wasn't long before a smile took over his face yet again. An evil, suggestive one, that is. He tried to stand up on his own, but he staggered slightly. He soon recuperated his balance, standing up straight.

"This power—I feel new again!" His voice was deep, but it wasn't as scratchy as it had become. He placed his hands on Xemnas's shoulders. "I feel like I can take on any challenge, and now, we can take this on together."

"What happened to you?"

"It's an age modifier! I worked with the settings so that it would return me back to my youth without dispatching any of my memories that I've gained. I built this just in case I lived to be an old man, and now that the time was right, it came to good use."

"Grandfather…this is amazing…"

Xehanort cringed.

"Don't call me that anymore. From now on, just refer to me as your master, Xehanort."

* * *

Kairi sat in front of her mirror. It was an immense mirror with floral designs as its frame. She was brushing her beautiful, auburn hair. She was ready for the day as she had already heaved herself in one of her tight red dresses. As she finished brushing, she placed her cute tiara on her head. She gave the person looking back at her in the reflection a small smile, and she smiled back. Kairi had her own insecurities, but her physical appearance was not one of them. She was proud of the way she kept herself.

Kairi took a deep breath. Hopefully they wouldn't be serving that god awful generic breakfast this morning. Serah said that the servants had returned back from Disney Town, so there had better be something Kairi would gladly consume. Hopefully that pest of an aunt isn't anywhere around either.

Kairi walked to the door and opened it, but saw the last person she wanted to see. It was her aunt and she ended up knocking her fist against Kairi's forehead, due to the fact that she was about knock on the door right when Kairi opened it.

"HEY!"

Serah realized what she did and tried stifling her laughter. "Sorry."

Kairi used all she had to not slap this chick right in her face. "What is it, Serah?"

"_Aunt _Serah," she corrected.

"I refuse to call you my aunt."

"So, I take it you're grouchy again? Oh well, but I just came to get you to come see the trial."

"Trial? What trial? And why wasn't I informed of it?"

"Don't you remember? You were acting like, well, _you _yesterday, so everybody left you alone. Basically, every man in the town has come here to the palace to pull a powerful blade out of a stone my father created."

"WHAT?"

Serah recoiled slightly. Now what was Kairi's problem?

"There are _peasants _within the premises?" Oh, that explained it.

Kairi knocked her aunt out of the way as she marched over to the main entrance. "Move!"

Serah dusted her sleeve off. She didn't let that get to her, since she was used to Kairi's irrational behavior. She was the quintessence selfishness.

Kairi went over to the rails on the second floor. She looked down, and sure enough, Serah was telling the truth. There was a long line of men dressed in rags that entering from the large door. They were all in conversation. Currently, there was a man trying to pull something out of a stone as her parents and her grandfather, Merlin, watched nonchalantly.

"WHAT IS THIS?"

All heads in the room averted up to Kairi on the second floor.

"Oh, Kairi. You're awake. Did you sleep well?" King Hope asked with a generous smile.

Kairi growled. She walked down the steps in a negative stride until she made it to the thrones.

"Hello Kairi, my have you grown—"

"Watch out, frog!" Kairi said as she shoved Merlin to the side to look at her father.

Merlin fixed his blue cloak while eyeing his granddaughter with disgust. "My word…"

"Father, what is the meaning of this?!" She pointed at the line of men accusingly. "Why are these filthy peasants in my abode?! It should be a law that they not even be in my presence, the wretched scum!"

The commoners took offense to her venomous words as they all shared side conversations bad-mouthing her.

"Is that the princess? Man, why is she such a bitch?"

"Is that who we're supposed to protect?"

"If that's the case, why am I even here?"

She scowled at them. They were the equivalent to a herd of rats. She couldn't bare to even look at them. Claire stepped up before them. "Sorry about that everybody! She doesn't mean what she says, she's just—uh, she just woke up, that's all."

The commoners remained skeptical, and continued bad-mouthing her, but noticeably softer than before. Kairi crossed her arms.

"I don't care who it is, but somebody better answer my question—why are these people here? And what's the point of this?"

Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Kairi, will you shut up for a second?" Hope said as he pinched the space in between his eyes. Kairi gasped at her father for saying such words to her, but she sobered regardless. Out of everybody, she respected her father the most, and he was the most likely subject to calm his daughter down and discipline her. But not to the point where he had complete control over her either.

"Serah should have told you—our situation right now is iffy but we may end up having to partake in war. Do you see that stone? The one that has a Keyblade sticking out?" he asked his daughter.

She looked at it, but didn't see his point. "Yeah…?"

"Only the chosen one can lift the Keyblade from its place and exploit its power. Whoever this chosen one is, according to your grandpa, is the only one who can protect you from any potential danger."

"Chosen one, huh?" Kairi said as she let the information settle. "So what are you waiting for, father?"

"Huh?"

"Go lift that Keyblade out of its place! I want _you_ to be my protector. Not one of those unsanitary peasants!"

A chuckle escaped from him. That was probably the closest he's had to flattery from his daughter in quite a few years. "Well, I'm glad you feel that way. Unfortunately, I'm not the chosen one, apparently. I already attempted to lift it, but I guess you can figure out how that turned out."

Kairi stomped out of anger. "This is so unfair! Why wasn't I consulted about this before?"

Claire placed a hand on her hip with an irritated sigh. "For the way you're acting right now. We knew you'd resent our proposal and make a big deal about it, but the bottom line is that your father and I need to go check out the situation in the town, and we can't leave you without protection."

"So basically you don't trust me?"

"Pretty much!" Serah interjected cheerfully.

"Oh, I get it! Knock a princess while she's down, huh? Sure!" Kairi made a pouty a face. She noticed one of the men in line looking at her with an odd facial expression. "What are _you _gawking at?"

The man cowered back, not wanting anything to do with an angry princess at the cost of his head. Kairi noticed this, and soon an evil sneer formulated on her lips. She rubbed her hands together as she snickered. Her family shared worried glances.

"Huh, so basically whoever the dirty peasant is will be my slave that I can give personal commands to, correct?"

Merlin rubbed the back of his head. "Well, that's not exactly—"

"Cool! Maybe this won't be so bad then. Having my own special slave has always been a dream of mine."

Serah raised an eyebrow. "Since when?"

"Since none of your business." Kairi sat down in the biggest throne on the stand and made a snooty face, clapping her hands together. "Alright, people! Let's get this back up to speed! I don't have all day, you know!"

Everybody stared at her with mixed reactions, but not one was positive. Hope gave her a glare.

"Get out of my chair."

* * *

Sora's eye lids slowly ascended until his pupils were completely visible. His memories returned in a quick flash and he sprung up from his spot, looking around with vigilance. "Xion!"

The first thing Sora noticed was that he was in his sleeping bag. The second thing he noticed was that he was at home in the library. The third thing he noticed was that Xion was sitting at the table reading that book she had been attached to lately. His sister looked at him with and adjusted her reading glasses.

"Aw man, I was hoping you'd stay asleep. You looked like you could use the rest."

Sora grappled his head with his eyes looking paralyzed. Was it all just a dream? It felt so real. He touched his face and felt a band aid. Then he saw that his arm was wrapped up. Okay, so it wasn't a dream then.

"What happened?"

Xion closed her book. It looked like she wasn't going to be able to get another chapter in before bed. "That Heartless handed your ass to you."

Why did she have to put it like that? Does no one ever look at the positives? Like the fact that he put forth his best effort. But no, they just want laugh at the situation. Be grateful, you bastards.

"Kinda embarrassing…" Sora said as he raked a hand through his messy hair.

"Not many people would have been able to do much better, and that's me included. You probably did better than what you're average person could do."

He sat up straight, relaxing his elbow on top of his arched knee. "Thanks…I think…" He wasn't sure if that was a compliment. "So, what happened? Did you fight that thing off?" he asked incredulously.

"And if I did?"

"Then kudos! I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Too bad that's not the case."

Sora smirked. "I knew it."

"Shut up. Basically, we got hit with a stroke of luck. Cid just so happened to walk by and blasted it to death with a firearm. If it weren't for him, we'd both be goners."

Sora looked up at the ceiling. So the Heartless were back, huh? The boy was never ardent when the topic about those creatures hit the air. They were the reason his parents died. He never made any oaths to kill every Heartless he saw, nor did he swear to avenge their deaths, Sora never had that much anger in his heart to begin with, but he didn't want to be reminded of them either. If these beings were making a comeback, it wouldn't be safe to go out into the streets, especially at this hour, when the sunset had kicked in. By the time the sun left, Heartless would definitely come out to use Radiant Garden as their own personal playground, lurking the streets for victims. They preferred being in the dark.

But how would he and his sister eat? The only way he was able to get food was by heading out into the town, but how would he be able to accomplish that without getting his heart gobbled up?

Why does life always have to dick people around so much?

"Cid helped me bring you in here, so after he left, I fixed you back up. You should be good as new in about a day or so."

He looked at the wrapping around his arm again. "Yeah, thanks."

She placed a finger to her chin. "He said something about a meeting at the palace. There's some kind of Keyblade stuck in a stone, and whoever can pull it out must serve as the princess's protector. Any of this pique your interest?"

It did sound interesting, getting to leave this dump and go live at the palace as the princess's bodyguard. But that didn't matter, because Xion came first and foremost. He was not going to leave her for the sake of some rich revelry. As far as Sora was concerned, everyone in royalty was just a stuck up snob that didn't lift a finger once in their entire life.

"Nah, I'll pass. I need to be thinking about taking care of you first."

"But what if you are the guy to do it, then we can leave this dirty hell hole and finally have a _real _meal."

"If I know anything about these royalties, I bet you that only one of us will be allowed to go." Her facial expression demoted, seeing as to how he was probably correct. "Besides, I don't think I'd be the one who'd be able to do it, anyway."

She smirked. "Yeah, I don't think you're up for the task either."

He looked at her with mock anger. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She giggled. He smiled back.

"What's with the glasses? You don't even need them, and they're not prescribed to you."

She pursed her lips as she adjusted them again. "But they make me feel smarterer…"

He laughed. "Well, I don't think it's working."

A loud grumble widened their eyes. Xion placed a hand to her tummy and blushed.

"Hungry, huh?"

"Starving."

Well, he had no choice. He couldn't let Xion go hungry. He promised to stay by her side, but he had to at least try to head into the city for her sake.

The sixteen year old stood to his feet. "Well, I'll go grab us something."

"Oh, no you don't! You're not going out there when the Heartless are loitering around. You stay right here, mister."

"But—"

"We can grab something tomorrow when it's daytime. More people will be out, so it won't be as dangerous. But we can go a night without something to eat."

He slouched. "But you said you were starving…"

She sighed. "I am. But we can't take the chance. I don't want you getting hurt out there, Sora." She took the glasses off and stood from the table, making her way towards him. She pointed at him accusingly. "Promise me you won't go out tonight!"

He turned his head, not really wanting to look at her in the eyes. He hated it when she got so demanding, because he knew that she knew it was hard for him to resist. "Iprmise…" he said muffled underneath his breath.

"What was that?"

"I promise…" he still said quietly.

"What?"

"I promise! Okay?"

She backed off of him with a satisfied smile. "Good!" She skipped over to her sleeping bag. "Then go ahead and get some shut eye! You'll need it if you wanna heal up."

"Okay, you win." He tucked himself back into his sleeping bag. "But what about you?"

She waved it off. "I'll be fine! Seriously, you worry too much. Relax, okay? We'll both survive the night, so don't get all frizzy, Mr. Frizzy pants."

"Mr. Frizzy pants?"

Xion tucked herself into her sleeping bag. She took a hold of the candle that was next to her and looked at Sora one last time. "Goodnight, big brother."

He smirked. "Goodnight, Xi."

She blew the candle out and the two were immediately shrouded with darkness. Xion closed her eyes to visit the realm of her wondrous imagination. Sora's eyes never closed. Lest did she know, he was crossing when he promised her earlier.

Once he heard her faint snoring, he got straight out of the sleeping bag. He lit a match that he had in his pocket. It wasn't much light, but it was something. He managed to locate his way around the room until he came across what he was looking for: his trusty pocket knife. If only he had a gun or something so that he could defend himself against the Heartless, but sadly that reality remained dormant in his dreams. Sora placed the knife in his back pocket. He blew the match out, shook it a few times before tossing it to the side, and then ran towards the window. He opened it to be greeted with the nighttime breeze. He looked back to see Xion face lit by the moonlight, blissfully unaware of her exterior surroundings. He sighed wearily.

It wasn't like he wanted to do this, but he had to make sure there was food on the table. And since nobody was outside right now, this was the best time to do it. "I'm sorry…"

He snuck out onto the balcony and gently closed the window back up, praying he'd be able to come back in one piece. Otherwise, his sister would kill him. He slid down the ladder and landed on the ground gracefully.

Boy, it was times like these when Sora wished he had some shoes. He had to walk around bare foot every day, and it was quite prickly.

Sora walked cautiously, skimming his hand against the wall of the library to lead him out of the alleyway. He did as such and was greeted with the night sky, and a full moon smiling at him. Or was it frowning? He couldn't tell.

Sora walked around the lifeless streets of Radiant Garden. This town wasn't what it used to be, but it was still a very beautiful place to live in.

So far, so good. Not a Heartless in sight. The boy stopped in his tracks once he saw that a cart full of meat was laid out in the open. It looked like a haven to him. Usually people forgot little things like lettuce or apples, but not full blown food like this. Sora ran towards the cart like he was a kid who spotted a candy shop.

He salivated to the sight. Where did he start? It all looked so delicious. Sora came into realization that he forgot to bring his backpack. He slapped his forehead for having such a derp moment. He decided to let it go. He'd just have to keep coming back and forth until he got a satisfying amount. It wasn't like the library was too far from here. He started grabbing as much as he could and stuffed his hands with provisions like turkey, hot dogs, salami, baloney—anything in sight.

His smile told the whole story. Xion was going to be so proud of him after she got done scolding him about leaving this late, but it'd all be worth it.

He turned around and ended up bumping into a soft, plump belly that had seemingly been waiting on him. He looked up with a traumatized face. It was Pete, sneering at him mischievously. He had guards standing on both sides of him giving the boy a similar stare.

Sora chuckled nervously. "Hiya, boys…what are you guys doing out here so late?"

"His Majesty sent us out here to check on the Heartless situation to make sure it didn't get too crazy. We don't need an infestation, ya know?" He used a finger to pounce Sora on the chest. "I ain't know we had a street rat infestation too, hehe!"

Sora gulped before looking out in the open area and pointed at something. "Holy crap, is that the queen walking around in a bathing suit at this hour?!"

The body guards looked around with their perverted goggles initiated. It wasn't a secret that a majority of the male residents in the town had a crush on their queen, and that included the guards.

"Huh?"

"Where is she?"

"I wanna see Queen Claire in a bathing suit!"

"I want her step on my crotch while she spits in my eye!"

Sora tried to not let that last comment paint any unnecessary visuals as he crawled under Pete's legs with him inattentive. He sprinted away.

Pete looked back down and noticed his sight missing an annoying spiky haired brat. He turned around and saw Sora running off with some ham in his hand.

"Get him! Get that little punk! I want his head as a trophy I tell yas!"

The guards forgot about their fantasies and chased after the kid. Sora noticed but continued running. He could sneak home by going through the shortcut, slipping into the dark along the way, but he felt the need to teach these guys a lesson so that they could get off his trail. He stopped and looked around at his surroundings to see if he could use anything to his advantage. Come on, hurry! He had to improvise.

Sora saw a cart with oranges in it. He snapped his fingers once he thought of a plan. The boy ran over to where the cart was, the guards followed inevitably. Sora slid on the ground while making sure he kept the ham protected close to his chest. He whipped out his pocket knife cut the bottom hinges on the cart, allowing the oranges to plop on the ground freely. The guards ended up slipping on the bowling balls of fruit.

Slapstick was a useful method to Sora's style. It was used as comedy in the movies, but he knew first hand that if those stunts were pulled in real life it'd be no laughing matter.

Sora laughed maniacally at their misfortune. "What a bunch of losers! Is this what I'm up against? I've had more trouble getting rid of the fruit flies at my place."

"You laugh now, but Pete's gonna get you!" one of them yelled, before tripping once again.

Sora backed up, preparing to make his escape. "You think I care about that idiot? What do I care about that big, fat, clumsy oaf who's most likely still a virgin middle aged? You think I'm scared of him? He can kiss my—" Sora bumped into a similar plump belly from earlier. "He's right behind me, isn't he? Seriously, this joke is getting old…"

Sora turned around and it was Pete, inevitably.

"What were you saying?"

"I was saying that I think we've come far enough in our relationship that I think I can tell you just how much I've come to grow fond of you." He pulled a list out of his back pocket, which was really just his to-do list that had nothing to do with the fat officer. "Dear Pete, you are the best pal I've ever had."

Pete groaned. This kid's stupid jokes were annoying and distracting.

"People I know always tell me that you're a big, fat, smelly, gross, disgusting, fat, sloppy, contaminated, unhygienic, uncoordinated slob. Did I mention the fat part?"

He groaned.

"Oh, okay I did. Anyway, the point is—"

Wait a second, why was Pete listening to this? He bear hugged Sora violently, crushing his torso with his arms. Sora struggled to get out of his grasp.

"I got you now, you arrogant little twerp!"

Pete's pointy nose continuously jabbed at Sora's cheek. "Wow Pete, is that a nose on your face or are you just happy to see me?" Sora was able to lift his arm out of Pete's grasp and flicked him on the snout. "Wow, it's pretty small. Is _this _what is supposed to satisfy me? This is why I cheated on you with a different officer last week."

Pete snarled as he squeezed Sora harder. "You got a smart mouth for somebody whose bones are about to get crushed! This could all go smoothly if just shut that trap of yas…"

Like hell if Sora was going to just give up like that. He bit Pete's thumb, sinking his teeth into it with the most jaw movement he could deliver.

"YAOW!"

Pete let go of Sora and began shaking his thumb, sucking on it to ease the pain.

Sora gently placed a hand on his ribs. Come on, Sora, nothing too bad. Maybe just a few cracked ribs. Baby stuff…

He didn't waste any time and shuffled his feet. Unfortunately, he wasn't paying attention and ended up slipping on the oranges he had laid out for the guards. The boy couldn't stop himself and ended up crashing into a wall. He could practically see stars orbiting around his forehead.

He saw Pete looking down at him with a triumphant sneer. "Looks like that ego of yours finally bit you on the butt, har har! I knew it would eventually."

Damn it, he should have listened to Xion. In hindsight, he could have gotten away easily, but like Pete (and Xion) said, his luck must have finally ran out. He had to admit, his ego was pretty big when it came to this kind of thing, but he never pictured himself capable of enduring defeat. He should have seen it coming because his usual luck with stealing lately has been on edge.

"You're comin' with me, kid. I've been waitin' years for this!"

"Uh, to where…?"

"Where do ya think, ya nimrod? To prison!"

And that was the dagger. Sora could now officially admit it to himself...

His luck finally ran out.

* * *

**I thank everybody for supporting this story! I'm glad there are people liking it already, because it hasn't even truly begun yet. **

**Don't worry, Sora and Kairi are going to meet each other _very _soon, so stay tuned! If I work hard enough, I might be able to get the next chap up within the next day. I hope you liked it and drop a review please! **


	4. Dead End Destiny

"State your name, gentleman," Hope requested as a man with cyan eyes and dirty blond, very distinctive hair, stepped up before them by the stone. He looked quite young, perhaps twenty, and his smirk complimented his confidence. This was just another day in the park for him.

He slicked his hair back. "I'm Demyx Komara Seru, and I'm gonna be the one to protect your daughter, your Majesty!"

Claire admired his self-assurance. "Oh? Well, you certainly have the right attitude for it."

"Yes, it is nice to see someone act normal for a change," Hope agreed. The days seemed to drag on with the variety of candidates who choked trying to appease for the king and queen. He didn't blame them, but ass kissing was tolerable for only so long This young man seemed to have found a comfort zone. Maybe he would prevail.

The princess caught Demyx's eye as she sat wearily in her throne. His eyes swooned over her physique suggestively. Kairi stared back cynically.

"Gotta say, your daughter is quite the looker too!" Kairi rolled her eyes. "She taken?"

Kairi belted into hysterics. Did this rubbish scumbag think he had one _percent _of a chance with her? "Dream on!"

Claire pat Kairi on the arm. "Kairi! That's enough!"

Kairi ceased her laughter, following a scowl to her mother. "Don't touch me."

Claire sighed.

What an awkward family. Demyx always pictured them to be a pure, immaculate household. Perhaps even royal families had flaws. "Uh, anyway—I'll get started now."

"Finally!"

"Kairi, hush!"

Demyx spat on both palms and rubbed them together. He hopped onto the rock as he laced his fingers around the Keyblades handle. Through grit fingers, his strength emerged. He heaved, but the blade wouldn't budge. He used all of his strength, but nothing worked. The Estheim's stared at him with unimpressed expressions. Most notably, Kairi, who tapped on her arm rest as she mushed her cheek against her fist.

They all wanted to just find this chosen one and get this over with so that they could continue with their lives, but this was a process that had dragged itself out for much too long. Demyx jumped off the rock and performed some jumping jacks. "Hold on, let me just get myself warmed up. A one, a two, a three—"

"Thank you taking your time, Mr. Komara, but we've seen enough," Hope said. "Guards, please escort him out."

Demyx eyes widened. "No, you don't understand! I'm the chosen one, really!" The guards ignored him as they grabbed the poor guy by the arms and dragged him out to the door. "No, you don't understand! Let me stay here with you guys! I don't wanna go back to my mom's! She's always doing unspeakable things to me when we're alone at night! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"

The guards tossed the man out the door as they dusted their hands off. Hope face palmed. He never knew how many nutcases there were in Radiant Garden.

"This is getting tiresome…" he said.

"William!" Kairi yelled.

A man in a tuxedo clumped out of the kitchen immediately with his lips parted in fear, tripping over himself a number of times to make it to the princess in one piece. He stood before her with impaired breathing and his fingers interlaced, ready to do her bidding. "Yes? What can I do for you, Princess?"

"Fetch me some crackers with the little shreds of cheese that I like, but don't melt it or else I'll have your head. Don't forget the small amount of—"

"Salt. I've never forgotten, your Majesty!"

He hoped that she would commend him positively for already knowing her customs by heart, but she only looked at him as if he had developed an extra head.

"W-what?" he sputtered.

"Did you just _interrupt _me while I was speaking?"

"I-I-I-I—"

"The next time you cut me off, I'll cut off your head. Now go get what I ordered, and hurry it up."

"Y-yes, Princess!" William sped into the kitchen to fix up Kairi's request.

Kairi noticed all eyes on her at the moment.

"Did time just freeze or did all of your brains crack like insignificant records? Chop chop!"

Hope was about to interject what his daughter said, but came to the conclusion that there wasn't a much better way to put it. "What she said…"

* * *

Her fingers fidgeted nervously as she rocked back and forth next to the window, waiting for her brother's return. He should have been back at least ten minutes ago. If she knew him, he was probably ridiculing the guards right now and their petty attempts at capturing him, but he was never late, no matter how tempting it was for him to make a fool out of the guard's captain. Surely he didn't get captured? She gulped. That was nonsense, Sora never got captured.

She had begun reading her book to keep her mind off of it, but the book just began to become less entertaining after a while as thoughts of her brother's safety became profoundly distracting.

She looked out of the window with a tiring gaze. "Idiot. Where the hell are you?"

* * *

Two officers on each side of Sora dragged him down the hall, grappling his arms with pressure. The brunet's hands were locked inside of cuffs.

It was funny; because it was one mistake. _One _mistake and he completely fucked his entire life over. How embarrassing that with all of his triumphs against the clumsy Pete, that he would be captured just by simply slipping on a pile of oranges like a god damn cartoon character. What a joke.

"No, you don't understand! I need to go look for my sister! If you just let me go and check on her real quick, I'll be right back in a flash!"

"As if we hadn't heard that one from the books."

It was true. You know, kinda. He was being honest aside from that last part about being right back in a flash.

"Come on, I got responsibilities! A wife, kids, you know how the deal goes these days! Am I right, fellas?"

"You're like, twelve."

Sora looked at him with an appalled expression. "Dude, I'm sixt—you know what? Never mind. Look, just get me out of here! You can't just do this to me!"

"Yeah we can. It's called following orders. Sorry kid, but you're on your own this time."

"You guys can't be serious…"

One of the officers opened one of the jail cells as the other one unlocked the cuffs fastened on the boy's wrists, and before he could do any quick stunts, they shoved him inside of the cell and locked it up tight.

"Have a nice night."

The officers made their way back into the lounge room. Sora grappled the bars hopelessly. "You can't just toss me in here like I'm just some rag doll! I got someone important out there to look after!" Sora shakes on the bars with rage. "AAAARRRRRRRRRGGHH!"

"Hey, could you keep it down?" said an unfamiliar voice. It was laidback and calm. "There's this new thing called sleep, and I'd like to partake in it."

Sora turned around. The place seemed dark and vacated. "Who's there?"

He noticed someone lying down on the top bunk of a bunk bed. He had long silver hair with his bangs shadowing over his bright aqua eyes. He looked quite comfortable, unlike the fidgeting Sora. The boy looked about a year older than him as he flashed a smirk. At that moment, the tense air eased dramatically. Sora stood up and huffed.

"Who are you?"

The boy hopped down from his bunk. He had on a beaten up shirt with the sleeves clearly ripped off and shorts that went to his knee, also having been cut off. He outstretched his hand.

"Riku Shizuka, your new cellmate."

Sora shook it.

Riku sat down with his back against the wall. "Nothing much to do in this place. Whatever life you had before, think to yourself, was it worth giving up for this?"

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Getting philosophical already?"

Riku chuckled. "I'm just talking…"

Sora didn't know who this Riku guy was, but he seemed like a closet psychopath. Hopefully this didn't turn into a scenario where the roommate ends up trying to kill him after revealing he's a deranged serial killer.

"Anyway, this place is a sanctuary. A sanctuary for boredom, that is. I hope you're prepared to do absolutely nothing for however long you're locked up in here for."

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience."

"You know I am. Just look at this joint, it reeks the stench of stale."

Sora couldn't argue with that. Would it really hurt the prison designers to add a few extravagant paintings around here?

"How long you in for?" Riku decided to ask.

"About two months. The villagers don't take too kindly to thieves."

"That's not too bad. I got stuck for a year. First couple of months have passed though, so I'm not really complaining."

Sora sat down against the wall across from Riku and tried his best to get comfortable. "A year? What's your story?"

"I got caught for stealing a zucchini at the market place. I'm not exactly what you would call rich, so I gotta get some food somehow. What about you?"

"Same as you, pretty much. Why a year though?"

"This is my second visit. First time, I got stuck in here for killing a man who raped my mom on my bed while I went to go chop wood in the forest."

Sora's eyes widened. Somebody get him out of here! He was sitting with a murderer right now! He was tempted to call the guards and request a cell removal.

"You don't say…"

Much to Sora's surprise, he noticed Riku attempting to stifle his laughter as he geared his head towards the ground so that his bangs could shadow over his eyes. "Dude, I'm only joking. I just wanted to see how you'd react, and that face—priceless."

Sora wasn't too amused, but he didn't hold a grudge for long.

"Anyway, I have been here before though. It was just for loitering on somebody else's property."

"Why were you doing that? That's weird and creepy. And pathetic…"

"I was looking for my necklace." Riku showed the appendage hoisted around his neck. "It's something my mom gave me to remember her by before she died. I lost it in this guy's lawn when I tripped, so I was digging around to find it. When the dude saw me, he flipped and called the boys and I was in here for a month. Since this is my second time, my punishment got an upgrade."

"Rough."

"Yup, it totally blows dick. Use me as an example dude, and try to stay out of trouble."

"Talking me down, now?"

"I'm just warning you. Consider it my good deed of the day."

Sora rolled his eyes. Riku looked so comfortable. Being locked up wasn't a big deal to him. For him, on the other hand, this was going to take some getting used to. Sora was the master of escaping the grasp of the guards, especially Pete. This was the first time he had ever been so careless that he'd end up getting himself locked up. Xion must have saw this coming from a mile away, and he let his cockiness get to him.

"So, what about you?" Riku asked.

Sora looked a little alerted to hear Riku ask. He pointed to himself. "Me?" Riku nodded. It wasn't like there was anybody else in the room. "I've been on the survival of the fittest train ever since I could remember. Memories are a little fuzzy, but my parents died when I was around twelve. I never wanted to be in foster care, and I didn't want my sister to endure that either," Sora's body went through an uncomfortable sensation at the mention of Xion, "so we kept it a secret and tried to fend for ourselves."

"Really?" Riku asked in bewilderment. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Wow…I'm seventeen and I can't even imagine being on my own like that since I still live with my dad. That's so badass."

Sora rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly. "Yeah, well…" His face turned serious. "Actually, it's really not all that. I personally wouldn't give a shit if this whole jail thing only affected me, but I'm just worried about my sister. She must be worried sick by now."

"I bet she is," Riku said, not really knowing what else to add.

Sora let out a chuckle but it wasn't a happy one. It donned on him that he was in a jail cell with some guy that he never met before and unsure whether or not to trust. On top of that, he'd be stuck here for two months without any way to communicate with his sister and inform her that he's okay. He let the back of his head rest against the wall behind him as his eyes locked themselves on the ceiling above. A sigh escaped his lips.

"She's gonna kill me."

Riku rubbed an itchy spot on the back of his neck, and decided he'd break the silence to ease the tension. "Oh, and by the way, be ready to throw up too. The food they serve here is _awful. _Seriously, it's like they just threw something together out of the used toilets."

Sora sprung himself out of his thoughts and offered Riku an apologetic smile, realizing he had probably made the poor guy uncomfortable. "It can't be _that _bad, can it?"

"I am a man of my word."

Sora raked a hand through his hair. "Well, if that's the case, then I'll just go to bed early."

"Hey, how did you get caught anyway?"

That was kind of embarrassing but… "I slipped on some oranges."

Riku tried to throttle his amusement, but failed miserably. Sora had already braced himself for the jokes poking at his dignity.

Sora laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, yeah…I know. I guess I let my carelessness get the best of me."

"Yeah, you suck."

Sora frowned at him. "Dude."

"Just kidding." Riku stood up and stretched. "You just need a good night's rest. Come on, let's hurry and go to sleep before they tell us it's time to eat."

Riku climbed up to the top bunk and got himself comfortable on the rusty mattress.

Sora decided to go off his instincts and slip into the mattress under Riku's. He tucked himself into the covers. A flood of leisure filled his body. Sora couldn't even remember the last time he had slept in an actual bed, and this one was a little rough around the edges what with its hard-ish surface, but it was better than a sleeping bag, slightly.

Sora stared at the wall. His eyes were deprived of emotion. He could only worry what kind of horrors Xion was going through while he wasn't home. He should have been back about three hours ago. He totally broke his promise, and she must have been vexed with anxiousness.

He was so stupid to not listen to her. He should have just stayed in and went to sleep, but he really was as stubborn as Xion said he was. Perhaps reverse psychology was his weakness. Now what was he to do?

"Hey," Riku's voice interrupted his thoughts, "I didn't catch your name."

What's the use in avoiding it? They were going to be cellmates from now on so he might as well tell him.

"Sora Yukana."

"Well Sora, I just got one more thing to warn you about."

"And what's that?"

"You don't have to worry about me or anything, because I don't roll that way, but some of these other guys…so for the love of god…"

Sora poked out his ear. What was Riku getting at?

"Do _not _drop the soap."

Those few words uttered represented Sora's life being officially over. He sprung out of the bed and held onto the bars one more time like a caged animal.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

* * *

The last candidate to lift the Keyblade breathed heavily. He used all of his strength in his attempt to lift that bloody Keyblade, but it wouldn't even budge a millimeter. Claire walked down from her throne and comforted the stranger.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded breathlessly as she patted him on the back.

By this time, the main foyer was numb of the numerous presences that permeated it earlier. The long line of men had now vanished and the last remaining subject was the only commoner leftover in the quarters. Hope and Merlin began thinking of another way to find this protector, while Kairi was slumped on her chair reeking in boredom. It was the most unprofessional, un-princess like slouch one could imagine. She had just wasted the whole day doing this, and not a single man had what it took to lift that Keyblade out of the stone. Serah had an imitation of her nieces mindset. She sat on the floor.

"Well, you'd best be going now. Sorry for making you come all this way," Claire apologized as she escorted the man out of the palace doors.

He said something between breaths but the queen couldn't make out his chained words, and only responded with a nod.

"Take care now." She slammed the door shut, letting out an exhausted sigh.

"I just don't understand," Merlin said to break the ice, "I'm positive this should have worked. However, not a single man was capable of such a responsibility."

Serah stood up and stumbled into the kitchen. "I need a juice pouch."

"Well, this has been an epic fail upon epic fails," Kairi said as she twirled her hair, "I suppose I won't be having my own slave."

Hope rolled his eyes. "Kairi, please come up with a better term."

Claire was still pierced in thought. She and her husband were not the type to allow their soldiers, their people to die as they lay low in the castle, not lifting a fraction of their finger in order to help. They treated their subjects with utmost respect. If only their daughter did as well, but that was beside the point.

Claire and Hope were fighters first, and rulers second. Even if they were to die, they would stand for their country. So staying behind to keep Kairi company was certainly not an option. They needed to find a bodyguard, but they had already given every man in the town an opportunity to prove their worth, and they all ended in failure. So only one question lingered on her mind…

"Now what?" she said aloud. It was the million dollar question. Mixed expressions painted the royal family.

Kairi decided to sit up straight. "Why can't we just pick a guy with a well-toned body, impressive biceps, maybe a nice looking face as a bonus and call it a day?"

Serah nodded. "I like that idea!"

Ugh, teenagers. Merlin shook his head disapprovingly. "You don't understand, Kairi. If you wish to truly be dormant under protection, then there is only one man out there who is up to the task. Not just any random stray in the street. That's why I manifested this spell, to ensure you of your safety. You and that Keyblade have a special link."

The fact that her destined bodyguard, whomever he may be, could potentially be a horrid peasant was bad enough on its own. The least she could ask for would be some eye candy to boot, but if she were to find out that her bodyguard destined to protect her really _did _look like a frog, then this whole quandary would be deemed pointless—at least, in her case.

"Well, I think we only have one last option," Hope said with a hint of hesitation. "We have to send in the town's prisoners."

Kairi's eyes nearly shot out of her skull. "PRISONER?!"

If there was anything worse than a regular peasant, it was a prisoner. They were the line one didn't cross, the gum that you saw on the wall that you didn't bother to touch or look at, the lowest form of human existence.

"You cannot be serious!"

Serah tried to calm her niece down. "Kairi, if you don't have someone to keep you protected in the case of a war breaking out, then you could lose your life."

Kairi dramatically stiffened her neck as she placed the back of her hand on her forehead. "Then let me die! If my life has been reduced to being paired with a smutty vermin for the rest of my life, then what's the point of living?"

Serah rolled her eyes. "Drama princess…"

"We don't have any other choice!" Claire exclaimed. "Kairi, I love you, and if anything happens to you…"

Hope walked over to comfort his wife as he held her gently in his soft grasp. She rested her head in the crook of his neck as she thought of the horrifying nightmare of her daughter being slain to the heartless. Claire wasn't one to show signs of vulnerability, even to that day when she was much more open, but topics about her daughter easily changed all of that.

"Kairi, you have to go through with this. Just look at your mother. And it's not just her, I feel the same way." Kairi looked at him disbelievingly. Hope sighed as he paced himself closer to her. "Look, you may be a brat, but you're still my only child. I don't want to lose you, no matter how much of a handful you can be sometimes. I still love you."

That came as a surprise to her. "Really?"

For once in a long time, King Hope saw his daughter have a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. She didn't like to show signs of her emotional side either, a trait she obviously gained from her mother. Hope chuckled to the thought of how similar they actually were. How _could _he hate the daughter of his wife, who was almost a spitting image of her despite the darker shade of color Kairi's hair displayed.

Kairi let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll do it. But only because you and mother are so worried."

He smiled. "Thanks Kairi."

See? His daughter wasn't so bad. She just didn't like to show that to others. Why? He wish he knew. But hey, perhaps the bodyguard chosen was the one who could bring that soft side of Kairi out into the open.

Merlin began stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Well, we know that one of the departments have been destroyed by anonymous foes—presumably the ones who are threatening war with Radiant Garden, so we have to move quickly and can't spare any seconds. Who knows if our remaining prisons will be blown to bits as well?"

"I think it's a stupid idea," Serah said as she began sipping on the straw inserted into her juice pouch loud and obnoxiously. "Why would an inmate be the one chosen to serve Kairi? What if the chosen one is a rapist, then what do we do?"

Kairi's eyes widen to the assumption.

Hope shot Serah a dirty look. "Not helping."

"Destiny works in magical ways," Merlin offered wisely. "If Kairi is to be with such a rapist, then a rapist she must have!" Merlin opened his eyes to witness the horror on his granddaughter's face and his stepson's disapproval.

He placed a finger to his beard.

"Uh, maybe I should have worded that better."

"Oh god, I'm going to be raped!" Kairi said as she buried her face into her father's chest. He rubbed her back soothingly. "I can't do this! I don't care what kind of danger I may be in, I am _not _about to have a prisoner become my guardian!"

Hope scowled at Merlin. Serah placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "Way to go, Dad."

Merlin put on a determined front. "L-L-L-L-L-Look, my point is that destiny works in mysterious ways. No matter how bad the situation may seem, there is always that small glimmer of light that takes you to the place where you are predestined to be. Destiny shall prevail!"

Kairi lifted her head from her father's chest and snarled at her grandfather, causing the old man to recoil frighteningly. "Quit babbling about destiny you useless frog!"

Merlin tugged on his cloak. Was it just him, or was it getting hot in here? He was only trying to do what was best for this girl, but she obviously didn't appreciate his kindness.

Claire sighed at her train wreck of a family. If a sidekick had told her this was her future sixteen years ago, she would have punched them in the face for making such a ridiculous statement. She sighed heavily.

"We don't seem to have much of a choice. One of the prisons were destroyed, so we'll have to go with the backup. I guess we'll order all of the prisoners to be escorted here tomorrow morning. Might as well get it over with."

Hope smiled at her sympathetically. He knew she really didn't want to have to go through this, but she'd do anything for her daughter. Hope turned to Kairi once again. Despite her trying to put on a dramatic act, it really was a way of his daughter expressing herself without truly expressing herself. He looked into her eyes and noted the fear circulating in her pupils. She truly was scared. Her future was left in a void. He could feel for her, since things seemed to be changing in their lives way too fast. It was at a pace his daughter probably wasn't used to.

He'd just have to pray that all goes well.

* * *

The bars opened, slipping seeps of light into the two boy's eye lids. Irritated groans escaped them as their squinted eyes searched for the fools that dared disturb their slumber. They saw two familiar silhouette's with demanding postures standing before them.

"Get up."

The two teens groggily rolled out of bed as they nearly tripped over themselves multiple times. It wasn't until that the officers place cuffs back on their wrists when the two finally woke up.

"What's going on?" Riku asked after a much awaited yawn.

The officer shoved the two boys out of the cell forcefully, causing Sora to look at him with narrowed eyebrows. "Watch it!"

"The king and queen have reported that all prisoners be escorted to the palace to take part in the Keyblade trials."

Sora's face softened when he heard that bit of information. The teenager began digging into his documents of recent memory to recall anything useful. He remembered what Xion told him the day before:

"_He said something about a meeting at the palace. There's some kind of Keyblade stuck in a stone, and whoever can pull it out must serve as the princess's protector. Any of this peak your interest?" _

That's what this must have been about. When Sora came back into reality, he felt another shove by another one the officers (which was getting really annoying) as he and Riku were grouped with the rest of the countless prisoners in the back of a large truck. After another grimace look from one of the many guards, they shut the door without further explanation.

Inside of the large cargo, every prisoner with shackles latched around their wrists wore questionable faces—all patiently waited to be delivered to the palace as their meaningless lives inclined, all except for one certain impatient spiky haired brunet throwing a fit.

"Where are they taking us? This is so unfair. I hate having my freedom robbed of me!"

Riku's calm expression never left his face. "Sora, just calm down, bro."

"Calm down?" Sora asked incredulously. "_**Calm down?**_"

"Yeah," Riku said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Dude, we're on our way to the palace! The _Palace_!"

Riku didn't see the point in his babble, and he was clearly taking this entire situation much better than the panicked Sora Yukana. Perhaps it was the bags based under his eyes and the urge to close them that was hindering him from ingesting this information as completely as Sora, but it was still slightly irritating.

"What's the big deal?"

"We don't know what goes on at the palace. Who's to say that they won't just kill us if we don't live up to their needs?"

Sora knew one thing, he most definitely did not have what it took to protect the princess, so he labeled the possibility of him being the chosen one as an impractically. If his theory was correct, he'd be screwed—to put it blatantly, and he'd never see Xion again. Riku noticed how the brunet kept twiddling his fingers to keep his nerves calm.

Riku got some amusement out of his horrified facial expression and the way he fidgeted with anything near him, despite the fact that Sora looked absolutely pathetic.

"You're thinking way too much," the silver haired boy said nonchalantly with an all-knowing look. "They're not gonna kill us just because we can't lift a fucking Keyblade. Chill your balls, dude."

"I can't calm down, because I don't know what's going to happen. I _hate _being ignorant towards the future! I can't stand not knowing!"

This kid wouldn't take a chill pill for anything. Riku figured he must still be a little traumatized by the entire situation as a whole. Sora couldn't believe that he was actually in this picture, because he had never painted himself in it before. He never _considered _the fact that maybe he wasn't as badass as he thought he was to get captured and led to the palace against his own will. That's just a horrible way to look at it; there's always a possibility that things won't turn out the way you plan them. In fact, it's quite rare that things ever go the way you originally plan.

Riku needed to calm him down before Sora went into some kind of disturbed state of mind. Poor guy just couldn't handle what was happening to him, and Riku sympathized. It wasn't that long ago when he himself was in a similar state of denial. Didn't take away the fact that Sora was being an assbutt however.

Riku used the little movement he had with his cuffed hands to slap the boy back into reality. Sora eyes widened from the sudden blow and glared at Riku. His heated gaze demanding answers.

"Relax," Riku deadpanned. "It's not the end of the world, things could be a lot worse, and quite frankly, I suggest you get used to it because there's nothing else we can do."

"But—"

"No, I hate seeing you act like this. We barely know each other, but I can tell, you're not acting like yourself right now. Come on, would your sister like seeing you like this?"

Sora was taken aback. The scary part was that he was right. If the situation was different, and it had been Xion in front of him right now, she probably would have done the same thing Riku just did; effectively knocking some sense into his dumb ass.

Sora was a paranoid person. He never took any unfamiliar situation too lightly because he was well aware that people are—for lack of better words—dicks. He knew not to carelessly hand over his trust to anybody wholeheartedly. The only one he could trust was Xion, and everybody else went to the back of the line. Sora was always alert, always second guessing things, but not once did he think that maybe some situations were out of his hands and that perhaps his efforts were numb to his benefit.

Sora relaxed his tensed muscles as his lips traced a ghost of a smile.

"You're right," he said, shaking his head to his overreaction. "I'm sorry about that. This is just—I dunno, a lot to take in."

Riku could understand—feeling completely perplexed to the point where you question your own sanity—he was there once. It was almost like looking into a mirror. He looked into Sora's scared, pained eyes and he saw himself in a way. But he couldn't shake that feeling that kept jabbing at his gut that everything would be alright for Sora.

He offered a warm smile.

"Dude, you're gonna be okay. Trust me on this one."

Sora scoffed in good humor. "And how would you know that? Are you some kind of sidekick?"

Riku chuckled as he smirked. "You'd be surprised."

* * *

The princess gulped down a glass of cold milk in her bedroom. She parted her lips from the glass rims with intense breathing. She had nearly suffocated herself in her much needed refreshment. Times like these forced her to drown herself out of her anxiety. She was not looking forward to witnessing a cascade of prisoners entering the castle. Her mother had informed her that they were on their way moments ago.

It wasn't so much so that she thought that she was better than them (which she did) but it was more so that she didn't want one of the prisoners to be a deranged rapist or a disturbed serial killer.

She wiped off her milk mustache before handing the empty glass to William. "Here."

He took it with a sympathetic look on his face. "Are you okay, Princess?"

She sighed. "I'm fine, William. Thank you for your concern. I just want to get this over with."

"Don't worry. I'm sure that none of these filthy vermin would be the ones chosen to serve you. They're dirty scum who can't take a minute to structure a productive lifestyle. You have nothing to worry about, princess."

She nodded to him halfheartedly as her lips had formed a straight line. She dragged herself out of her room with William in tow. She was fully clothed in an elegant blue dress with nearly translucent white sleeves grasping tight on both arms.

She sat down at her throne wordlessly as her parents looked at her with concern. The subtle worry in their daughter's face was almost terrifying. It was like an intense free-for-all just desperately waiting to commence. A bomb that was seconds away from exploding. Serah sat down on the steps that led to the thrones with an anticipated expression while sipping on another juice pouch. Merlin silently leaned against his son-in-law's chair with his arms crossed.

"Are we all ready?" the wizard asked the rest of his family. They all nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Then let's get this show on the road."

A loud boom was heard by the door. William rushed to greet the captain of the guards, Captain Pete. The two shook hands.

"Welcome to our residence, Captain."

"Ain't no problem. Boys, bring 'em in!"

As Pete and William walked further inside to get closer to the family of royalty while inducing in small talk, a line of men came stumbling in with tiresome, depressed faces—Sora and Riku were near the middle of the line. The chains on their wrists attested to their lack of free will. It didn't help that they were in the presence of crowned heads, each of them knowing that they'd never have a chance to live in the warmth of such prestige. It was just a big slap to all of their faces.

However, some of them weren't as depressed, Riku being a primary example. This was just another day by the riverboat for him.

Sora had calmed down but it didn't ease him to the point of gaining Riku's tranquility. He examined the main foyer that had been blessed with an unnecessary vastness. He admired the space that it offered. The prisoners were stepping on a red carpet that led to the thrones ahead, dirtying it up with their bare feet. Sora felt bad for whoever did the laundry in this establishment.

Aside from that, there wasn't much to this room. The simplicity of it teased of what was further to be desired within the rest of it. Sora began to wonder what it would be like if he and Xion lived in a place like this.

The prisoners all stopped once they were in front of the stone with the Keyblade sticking out of it. Sora looked at it in amazement. It was one thing to hear the rumors, but to actually confront the rumor to confirm its existence was very overwhelming.

An awkward silence filled the room at an uncomfortably fast pace, until Pete bowed towards the king and queen with the tip of the hat, soon noting the prisoners not doing so. He gave them a dirty look. They took the hint and all followed the suit.

"It is a pleasure to be within the presence of such humble superiors, your Majesties."

With a welcoming smile, Hope shook his head. "Don't think of us as your superiors, Captain. We're just regular people trying to make this world a better place."

Sora was surprised at his answer. Wasn't he supposed to be snooty and stuck up? Since when was a king so humbled? Sora had to give him props. He had never seen or met any of the royalties, but so far, the king was making a good first impression on him. As the prisoners stood up, Riku's eyes landed on something that caused a heat sensation to stir inside of him.

The princess sitting on her throne with a nonchalant expression did something to arouse the butterflies in his stomach. Despite her displaying any emotion, she still had a magnetic pull that his eyes couldn't help but be attracted to. Her hair was smooth. It went slightly past her shoulders and her eyes reminiscent to the ocean. Not to mention those pink lips…

He turned around to see Sora's teasing grin, ending his fascination.

"I saw you."

"What?" the older boy asked offensively.

"You were totally staring at the princess."

"You got it all wrong."

Sora rolled his eyes. Denial was such a waste of time. If everybody just admitted things to themselves and others more often, life would be so much easier.

Riku's eyes ended up landed onto the attractive countenance of the princess again. "But you got to admit, she's pretty cute." Even though, cute seemed like too much of an understatement; a mere mockery of her exquisiteness.

Sora looked at her as well with inattentive eyes. "I guess."

"What do you mean, _you guess_? She's beautiful, and you know it."

Sora shrugged. He wasn't bent on romance; all he cared about was his sister's security. Once that was confirmed, then he'd have time to screw around. No pun intended.

The trials soon commenced. One after one, every prisoner was forced to pathetically attempt to lift the Keyblade out of its position. A feat that was by all means, easier said than done. Every time a prisoner failed, they were beckoned to head back to the truck cargo with their wrists once again cuffed, guards watching their every step to make sure no one tried to escape.

Fail after fail, it was a repeated cycle. This proved to just be a waste of time the further this process expanded. As the line grew shorter and the closer it came to Riku and Sora's turn, Serah's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull while sipping obnoxiously on her juice pouch. She went to her inattentive niece and shook her by the arm.

"Kairi," she said quietly so that no one could hear their conversation.

After a few blinks, the princess returned back to reality. She looked at her aunt, slightly annoyed. "What is it?"

She pointed to Riku and Sora, who were absentmindedly gazing at the impressive scenery around them.

"They are _hott! _And I say that with two T's, girl."

Kairi rolled her eyes at her aunt's odd speaking mannerisms as she took a better look at them. She had to admit, they were very attractive—and by far, the best eye candy out of all of these other measly prisoners. But it didn't matter to Kairi, they were still prisoners. Sure, they looked nice, but what if they were secretly some of the most dangerous criminals in the Radiant Garden society. They were in prison for a _reason _after all. Not to mention the fact that they were poor.

Serah fixed her hair and threw away that silly juice pouch while trying to look sophisticated. "Darn, the _one _day I decide to leave my hair the way it is, and a pair of hunks delivered by god just waltz in."

Kairi didn't respond. She didn't know want anything to do with boys either way. She had only been in one serious relationship before and that didn't turn out very well. The last thing on her mind was getting into another one.

"That one with the silver hair is just _dreamy. _Mm, look at those muscles… he can work out on me any time."

"Hm," is all Kairi says, tempted to just walk away at this point.

"That one with the spiky hair is adorable. He looks like he's about your age, too. Isn't that great?"

Kairi almost zoned out from her aunt's childish fantasies. She catches her attention right before she was able to drift off. "I guess."

It wasn't long before the man in front of Riku miserably failed to boost the valued weapon out of its position. With many heaves and hos, he finally gave up and allowed himself to be cuffed once again.

Claire sighed. "Thank you for trying."

The guard walked up to Riku and unlocked his cuffs, much to his relief. The silver-haired boy took a deep breath before turning back to Sora, who had given him an encouraging smile.

"Good luck, buddy."

Riku responded with a thumbs up. He walked before the stone whilst wiping his sweaty hands off his shorts. He gulped as the king and queen stared him down expectantly. He noticed the girl with pink hair standing next to the princess was licking her lips as her eyes swooned over him. Was she checking him out?

"State your name, son," Hope requested.

He bowed out of respect. "Riku Shizuka, sir. Despite the stereotype of a prisoner that you've probably labeled on me, I would like to let you know that I'm not as bad as you may think." He did a boyish whip of his hair while flashing his charming smirk. "Give me a chance, and I may just end up surprising you."

Hope and Claire were impressed. Most of these prisoners had either been timid, aloof, or slightly rude, although they dared not be disrespectful in fears of getting their heads taken off. This young man seemed hospitable, mysterious, and had a certain confidence to him. If he happened to be the chosen one, which seemed likely at this point, then they would have no complaints.

Serah started fanning herself. "Somebody call 911, this boy is 'bout to give me a heart attack!"

Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Alright, here goes…" Riku said once he placed his rough hands on the Keyblade. Not a sound was heard, not an eye blinked. It had to be him, it _had _to be. The way he carried himself, his posture, everything about him screamed worthy of being Kairi's protector.

Riku pulled, and it didn't budge. The silence became uncomfortable.

Riku began using all of the strength his well toned physique had to offer, but the Keyblade didn't even dislodge a centimeter. The family's face all looked with disappointment, especially Serah. They would have sworn it was going to be him, even Sora thought so, but apparently, destiny loved playing games with all of them.

After a few more moments of Riku struggling, he gave up—looking at the royal family apologetically. He soon washed that depressing face with an optimistic one.

"Looks like it's not me, your Majesty."

"Don't take it to the heart, boy. You would have been an excellent bodyguard for my daughter."

"Thank you, sir."

Claire sighed in disappointment. "He was a sweet boy, too." Hope nods in agreement.

Riku walked off to go get his arms cuffed again to reenter the cargo, but a hand tugged on his wrist.

"This one can stay here, chief," she said to one of the guards.

The guard looked at her suspiciously. "Uh—ma'am—"

"Quiet, Jeff. This one's staying with me." Serah gave Riku a wink.

He chuckled. "Um, thank you."

She pat him hard on the back with a warm smile. "No worries!"

Sora returned his attention to the stone before him. If Riku wasn't the one who was destined to lift that Keyblade, then there was no way in hell he was. The guard unlocked Sora's cuffs and the boy stepped up to the rock, looking at the king and queen without his vision impaired. He noticed Pete looking upon Sora disapprovingly. It took him _years _to catch this kid and now all of the sudden, he may have a potential 'get of jail free card' by simply lifting this Keyblade.

Pete shook his head of the thoughts. There was no way this kid was the chosen one.

"My name is Sora Yukana."

William's eyes widened as he turned to Sora with gritted teeth. "Don't speak to his Majesty without him addressing you first, peasant!"

Hope lifted a hand to ensure his vizier to calm down. "It's okay, Will. We don't like to be thought of as superiors anyway."

Sora smirked at him. "That's good, because I don't see you as my superior. In fact, I think you're just a bunch of snobs, if you want me to be honest about it."

Everybody in the room looked at Sora as if he were crazy. Hell, he _was _crazy. Did he know how much trouble he could get into for saying something like that? Somebody give this kid a manual on how this royalty stuff works. Kairi was appalled as well. How dare he say that in front of them? With that type of boldness, god forbid that _he _be the one to accomplish this feat.

Hope only laughed as Claire gave the boy a smirk, much to everybody else's surprise.

"I like this kid," Claire said to Hope secretively, and he nodded in approval.

"Is that so?" Hope said to Sora as his laughter died down. "Well, step on up Sora."

"Sure." Sora jumped on the rock and eyed the Keyblade. He placed his hand on the handle and looked towards the royal family with a nonchalant look. "Although, I doubt that I'm the guy you're looking for."

He used his other hand to grapple the Keyblade and did what everybody else does before him. He pulls, and he pulled rather hard. The Keyblade didn't budge one bit. He stopped in the middle of it and gave the king a shrug. His grin perhaps noted his triumph.

"Oh come now, Sora, surely you can do better than that," Hope encouraged.

Sora huffed out of disappointment, not really wanting to have to cater to such a responsibility as he resumed pulling as hard as he can. Little progress is made moments later, until he felt something. The Keyblade moved slightly. He dug the Keyblade into the hole slightly to try and wiggle it out of its position, and once he got a better feel of it, he was able to pull with a lot more ease. He shut his eyes as he strained himself slightly from the pulling, and suddenly, in the midst of the darkness inside of his eyelids, his arms become a lot lighter.

Sora heard collective gasps. He opened his eyes to see Pete looking at him as if he were an alien, then noticing that the entire room was looking at the boy with bafflement, incomprehension, bewilderment, all of that put together into one big mixture of denial.

Sora tried to figure out what all the gawking was about until he looked over at his right hand, and noticed one, itsy, _teensy _little detail that would change his whole life.

He was holding the Keyblade in the air. Effortlessly, if he may add.

Sora swung the Keyblade around a little to get a feel of it. "Me?" he asked rhetorically and incredulously.

"HIM?" nearly everyone in the room said.

Riku chuckles. "Well, would you look at that…"

Hope and Claire stood from their thrones as Merlin gawked in amazement. Kairi was just star stricken as her mouth was gaped.

Sora rubbed the back of his head, still in disbelief. "Wha-ba-wha-da-da-wha…me?"

Sora thought he was the very _last _person who would be suitable for a role like this. But here he was, gripping the Keyblade as if it had been his in another life. What was the meaning of this? Something had to be wrong. The Keyblade disappeared in his grasp as he clenches a fist.

Claire smiled as relief took over her body. She was just glad to finally have this over with and get these strangers out of her home. Hope walked towards Sora with a welcoming smile as the boy hopped down from the stone. The king placed a strong hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Son, you and I have some business to discuss."

* * *

**I guess you all saw this one coming lol**

**Sorry about the long chapter. I personally like it when a chapter is a little longer, but apparently it's not a good thing. I was going to just stop it at the part with Xion, but I didn't want to have to wait too many chapters just to get Sora to get his mitts on the Keyblade and come into contact with Kairi. So, please tell me if you think the long chapters are okay in a review please. I would appreciate it dearly because then I'll know what works and what doesn't. **

**And I didn't forget about Xion, I'll touch more on her later, but only a little. I didn't want to add anything else to this just yet. **

**And I give a special thanks to KittyKat1217, Lightning Shock, Methodadrian, PurgeJuls, SoranoxSora, Xanthos934, blackyjamm, lordibau, nenu145, Pink bean, MasterKaze, and ventus535 for either reviewing, faving, or following. It really does feel good to know that my writing is being enjoyed by others and it inspires me to write more every time I see an alert telling me that one of you guys are liking it, so thank you! **

**And much thanks to Lightning Shock who gave me the idea to make that scene with Sora more dramatic, so I tried to do that up there, because the first idea I had was admittedly lack luster. I hope this is better. **

**And just to let you guys know, I've bumped Kairi's age up to sixteen just because- I dunno- it feels better :P**


	5. Stuck Up

How did life lead Sora here?

No. Seriously.

How?

Here he was standing in the middle of the main foyer in the prestigious palace next to Riku in front of the king and queen, sitting at their thrones. The princess had an unreadable expression but she was just as lost as he was clearly. That Serah girl seemed to be in high spirits as she mindlessly hummed a tune. The Merlin wizard picked at his teeth, but he was just as focused. The place seemed harmless enough.

But this wasn't just any palace. It was _thee _palace. The palace that held the remnants of royalties that Sora so desperately envied, but at the same time—hated with a scorching passion. His hate for them existed because he had to shed insurmountable buckets of sweat every day to feed himself and his sister. But the food he brought home, the water he brought home, wasn't even a fraction of a fraction of a centimeter to what these people could get by simply snapping their spoiled rotten fingers. They had the power to make dreams come true for peasants like him, but did they do it? Does he really need to ask you that question?

If you needed the answer, just look at strays like him and Riku. They were two perfectly fine young men who just so happen to have living hell's as their lives. But just because of one little mishap, mostly due to their parent's foolishness, they were placed in tough situations that no teenager should ever have to go through. Sora isn't blaming his parents because they were human, so mistakes are almost a necessity. But these royalties know damn well they could help all the remnants in the city who are dying, they know damn well that they could make the town a better place while they pat themselves on the back for relishing in their own money.

Now all of a sudden he's standing in their presence when it's convenient to _them_? When they need _his _help? Give him a break. This is all just a load of bullshit.

King Hope could sense the war breaking out in Sora's mind, and he looks at the boy sympathetically. Riku was getting a little worried. Ever since Sora pulled out that Keyblade, he had been in such a sour mood. Shouldn't he be a little more excited or humble?

King Hope stood from his throne and walked towards them.

"Sora, I know this must be a lot for you to take in. But the Keyblade chose you, which means you're the one who's destined to care for my daughter."

Sora crossed his arms, an agitated look on his face as he snarled threateningly. "I don't really give a damn about you or your daughter."

Everybody in the room gasped aside from Claire and Hope. Hope's expression remained structured.

Kairi turned to Claire with an exasperated look. "Mother, he can't be saying such things, can he? We should lock him up!"

"Be quiet."

Kairi was taken aback, but concluded by her focused eyes that her mother did not want to talk at the moment as she analyzed the situation. The princess sat back in her seat with a pouty expression.

Hope looked at Sora's eyes with the intensity circling them. Nobody is sure, but if one them threw a punch, all hell would definitely be broken loose. All of that nonsense is thrown out of the window when Hope smiles at him.

"Sora, I know this is a lot to take in. But you have to understand—"

"Understand?" Sora said, practically on the verge of laughing. "Understand what, exactly? So I'm supposed to just bow down automatically to a king that I don't even consider _my_ king?"

William shuffled to Hope and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Quit talking to the king like that! You're lucky his Majesty is too altruistic to behead you! Should I escort him back to prison, sire?"

Hope shook his head. "Let the kid say what's on his mind. Do you have something to say to me, Sora?"

"You're damn right I do! Wanna know why I was a prisoner? I'll tell you why—I was a thief. I stole from the market so that I could get something to eat. You wanna know why I had to steal? Because my sister and I have been homeless ever since we were kids. I have no education, no parents, I have nothing except my sister who's probably worried sick about me. Did you know about that, _sir? _Did you know that there are tons more like me out there, stealing not because they want to, but because they need to in order to survive?"

Hope didn't move a muscle.

"I bet you don't, because you're too busy swimming in your own ego to be bothered to help those that are in need! And now I'm supposed to just cater to yours when the time is right? By the way, don't ever call me a kid. Don't."

Hope fixed the collar on his expensive dress shirt. "I understand you, Sora."

"No you don't!"

"I do," he said calmly. "You feel like we as royalty have been neglecting our duties to help the innocent, only concerned for our own benefit. However, how can you make an assumption towards somebody you don't know?"

Sora wanted to come back with a snappy response, but the words wouldn't sound themselves from his mouth.

"We as royalty have a responsibility to help the community as a whole, not individuals. I'm sorry, but the best we really can do to help is to create regulations that can transcend across the country, including this town."

In the end, the king was right. Sora did make an assumption of their character before he even got the chance to get to know them first.

It was just bothering because of all the suffering he had to go through. In due time, he grew used to the idea of scraping for food and was able to put a smile on his face despite their troubles. Perhaps because Xion never let go of hers, and he would have if it weren't for the fact that she was there for him every step of the way.

In hindsight, it was his fault for not taking them to foster care. They decided that living on their own would be best for them, and now he's complaining that the king and queen didn't help him with a situation that they didn't know about in the first place. He must have sounded like a real jerk.

"I-I…I'm sorry."

Hope chuckled as he placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Don't sweat it, son. I know how much this must be for you to handle. Perhaps it's our fault for trying to obscure you into so much responsibility so fast. I apologize as well."

Sora smiled weakly. Sora was always prideful, but he wasn't too prideful to the point where he couldn't admit when he messed up. This was one of those times. He needed to cool down and let everything sink in. He already prepared himself to get used to life in prison, but before he could even gain experience, he's thrown right into the palace. He really ought to be more grateful. Was he really complaining that he got to leave prison and temporarily live in the palace? More like it was the circumstances, but that didn't excuse anything.

"Until then, let's take it slow. There are some potential ordeals threatening to harm Radiant Garden, and until we come to prevent those tribulations, I need you to keep my daughter protected. If you want, after we figure the situation out, you can even leave the palace and I won't even send you back to prison. Do you think you can accommodate?"

After some thought, Sora gave him a slightly hesitant expression. "Yeah, I think I can."

"Excellent." Hope turned to his daughter, who was still parked on her throne. His sudden gaze caught her by slight surprise. "Since he's going to be your bodyguard, how about you show him around the castle?"

Kairi's eyes were locked in confusion. Her sight fell onto Sora, who was giving her a solemn smile. It was as if he were saying 'I'm willing to try this if you are'. But after his words about not giving a damn about her or her father, why should she even associate herself with him? Not to mention he was a peasant. She couldn't get over it. She thought her bodyguard would have been a rich, muscular, and devilishly sexy knight. All she got was a poor, scrawny, and admittedly pretty cute teenager the same age as her.

Kairi puffed while turning her head. "I don't want that audacious freak anywhere near me."

Sora's smile turned upside down, but he shrugged it off. "Whatever." His job was to protect the bitch, not marry her.

Kairi's eyes widened in rage as she stood up from her chair. "What do you mean, _whatever_? You should be beseeching for my trust, you dirty rat!"

Sora looked at her as if she were just plain stupid. "Yeah? Well, I'm not. Get over yourself."

"How dare you?! Who do you think you are?" She looked at Hope expectantly. "Father?" Why wasn't he saying something? This peasant was being highly disrespectful towards her and he wasn't doing a thing about it. Hope smiled at her and shrugged. As far as he was concerned, she needed a nice dose of reality. And that the reality was in the real world, people don't care about you unless you give them a reason to. Claire would agree.

Kairi irritably turned her attention back to Sora. "You're just some street rat and you dare talk to me that way?! I ought to—"

"Kairi," Serah interrupted. Her fists were placed on her sides as she frowned at her niece. "That is no way to treat our guests!" She pointed at Kairi. "Shame on you!"

Kairi attempted to bite her finger, but Serah quickly recoiled as she held her finger protectively. She maintained her composure and turned to Sora.

"Since she's not up to it, I can give you a tour around the castle in her stead."

Sora preferred Serah already. She seemed cool enough. "Sure, I'm game."

"Wait, don't!" Kairi said.

Sora scowled. "Make up your mind already. You're wasting everybody's time." His nonchalant tone made Kairi want to rip her hair out. She was so used to peasants like him being respectful, merciful, and cowering. But here this dolt was, treating her as if she were a regular, average, everyday person.

Riku chuckled at the display nervously. He was hoping that Sora would keep his big mouth shut, or else he may get them both boiling in hot water. Riku placed a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Excuse him; he's just a little cranky this afternoon."

Kairi scoffed. A hand rested on her shoulder. Claire looked at her with a warm smile that somehow proved to be agonizingly annoying, because she always knew what that smile was telling her and that what that smile was saying was the right thing to do.

Kairi threw her arms up in defeat. "Fine!"

She marched up to Sora and noticed the close proximity between him and Serah. She scowled at her aunt, which gave her the hint to back off.

"Alright, since you will be my guardian, I guess I can show you around. It'd only be natural."

Sora looked at her unsure of what to do, whether she was being truthful or not. Sora did not trust anybody so quickly. In fact, he was still on the fence with Riku, and the princess was no exception. She began walking off expecting her protector to follow, but he doesn't. She turned around with furrowed brows.

"Well? Come on, get a move on! Dirty frog…"

Sora sighed as he followed her. Riku gave him a mocking thumbs up. Sora would have flipped him off if the king weren't standing right next to the silver haired boy. So he settled with rolling of his eyes as he stares blankly at Kairi's back.

"Be back by dinner," Claire called out.

Neither of them responded as she led him up the stairs and they walked into a hallway. As the pair's presence was numb to the rest of the room, an awkward silence hit the air until Riku spoke up.

"May I say something, your Majesty?"

"You may speak."

Riku bowed before him. "I'm so sorry for his rudeness, he did not know of what he said to your daughter."

"Nah, I don't mind." Hope's amused face confused Riku to no end. "That girl needs somebody to knock some sense into her, and you know what? I think he might be able to do that."

Riku had to admit that the princess did seem like a—well—a snob. "I'm surprised that you're not throwing me right back into jail."

"After the day we just had? No. I'd say you're a pretty decent young man and we'd welcome you in the castle for a little bit."

Riku couldn't comprehend their kindness. Like Sora, he figured that all royalty were snobs who only had the capacity to care for their own kind. Unlike him, however, Riku had enough sense to hold his tongue. He bowed to the king before offering a grateful smile.

"Thank you."

* * *

They walked down the hall without uttering a word. Sora stuffed his hands in his pockets as his gaze aimed straight ahead.

The wall to their right mainly composed of a huge window, allowing the sun to gush through. They walked on velvet carpet that made Sora's toes shuffle comfortably. He decided to break the ice. "We haven't formally introduced ourselves yet, huh?"

She didn't say anything.

"I guess you know by now, my name's Sora Yukana."

"Do not speak when I don't address you."

"Nice weather, huh?"

Kairi stopped. She turned to him with narrowed brows. "Did you not just hear me? I said shut up! Don't say anything to me unless I say something to you first. Otherwise, you ask to say something. Do you understand me?"

Sora picked at his teeth. "Hey, have you ever, like, had something in your teeth but didn't know _what _the hell it was? I seriously hate that."

Her eyes widened as her pupils shrunk. Was he deaf? Did he not just hear her? Was she not crystal clear?

"What's your problem? Can't you understand what I'm saying?! It's an unwritten rule that a peasant does not speak to a royalty unless spoken to."

Sora yawned as he stretched. He walked aimlessly down the rest of the hall with his hands laced across the back of his scalp. "Man, you're boring. Is this how you treat all of your visitors? Make sure you don't ever become a tourist guide."

She couldn't believe her eyes. "And just where do you think you're going?"

"To explore the castle," he said as if it were obvious. "You're clearly no fun, so I might as well just look around myself."

His stubbornness scrunched her expression. Once he turned the corner, something hit her like a wrecking ball. Did a peasant just ditch her? Did that measly disgrace to the ground he walks on just leave _her?_ How dare he? It should be her ditching him, if anything.

Kairi blew on her bang and whisked herself around. "Whatever," she grunted. She didn't want to walk around the castle with him anyway. She went up another set of stairs to get to her room.

Sora stopped in his tracks at the sight of the backyard garden. He gently stroked the pane and his breath escaped him. He had never seen such a garden. He lowered his eyes to find a maid watering the plants. He opened the window, noting a ladder conveniently leaned down in front of him. He climbed down with the maid still ignorant of his presence, with her back turned to him.

Sora stowed his hands into his pockets, casually pacing towards her. The closer he got, her humming became more apparent to his audio range. He stopped right behind her and checked out how she planted seeds in the refined soil.

The brunet crouched down to level with her as he examined her planting methods, she remained unaware. She reached for her water pot, opened her eyes, and her sight set on an unfamiliar boy intently focused on the dirt. She flailed back as a cry escaped her.

"AAH! Who are you?! Why are you here? Get out or I'll call the guards!"

Sora glanced at her. She had blonde hair, wondrous eyes, and quivering lips. He stood up while offering a hand. "Chill out, will you? I'm not gonna bite, I'm just here for the princess guardian trials or whatever."

Sora noted her perplexed stare. It was as if she was looking inside her brain to think of what to do next. She hesitantly took his hand as he helped her up and twitched a couple strands of her hair behind her ear.

"I-I'm sorry for that. I'm sort of a klutz."

He waved it off with a smile. "It's okay."

She outstretched her hand. "My name is Naminé Seijuku Shita. I'm the maid around here."

"Sora Yukana."

Naminé looked at his face closely, trying to get a good look into his eyes. Sora took a step back and nearly tripped.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

Usually when greeting a new face, especially a male, they grew tense nervously once relished in her intoxicating beauty, but this boy didn't bat an eye, nor frisk due to her propinquity. This was quite impressive. For once, she met a normal human being, someone down to earth who didn't get caught up in childish fantasies. This should be interesting.

"Oh, just taking a good look at the infamous chosen one. I'm surprised at your appearance."

He raised a brow. "Why's that?"

"I guess I was just expecting somebody a little—you know, older."

Sora's skepticism started to kick in. Something about her brought a whispering churn to his stomach. "Yeah?" Sora effectively shook off his assumptions. "Anyway, you mind telling me what the deal is with this castle, and maybe that bitch princess?" He smirked.

She giggled, despite his crass language. "Sure. How about we chat over tea?"

* * *

Kairi slammed the door shut. She chucked her tiara to the side and plopped her bottom on her mattress, clutching her sheets. It was baffling. How dare such a low life scum ditch her as if she were on his level? He had no business speaking to her when not addressed to in the first place.

She shook her head of those useless thoughts and decided some fresh air might filter her stress. She opened her window as the sky smiled into her room. She leaned against the sill and saw that pesky maid in conversation with someone when she should have been hard at work. It was probably one of the other servants.

Kairi hoisted her lips, prepared to yell at her to get back to work, until she realized that the person Naminé was talking to was Sora. She budded out, realizing that she didn't want to be reminded of that unmannerly insignificance. She closed her window and marched back over to her bed.

* * *

The light green liquid swam in the tiny teacup. Naminé loved serving others. It was probably why the job of the household's maid fit her perfectly. Sora stared at the tea with uncertainty. Throughout his sixteen years, he had never tasted tea before.

He sipped on the cup slightly before gagging. Naminé chortled.

"Don't you want me to put sugar in it first?" she asked.

An embarrassed Sora placed his cup in front of her. "Oh yeah, sure. I knew that."

"This must be your first time drinking something like this, judging from your attire." He glanced at the holes in his shorts and the specks of dirt on his sleeveless brown shirt. He and Riku must have really stood out. "It's quite alright. I used to be like that once."

She poured just the right amount of sugar into his cup. Sora couldn't help but ogle at her, but not necessarily in a positive way. She was gorgeous, no denying. Her soft, porcelain skin was mesmerizing. So why was it that he wasn't attracted to her? Something about her made him caution her every move.

She noticed his staring and blushed, tucking hair behind her ear. That was the second time she had done it.

She smiled nervously. "Is something wrong, Mister Yukana?"

He shook his head while squinting. "Everything's fine. It's just that you're very beautiful."

The tint of red on her face grew deeper. He seemed to be quite fearless. He rarely got embarrassed and seemed to just go through life as he took it.

"Thank you. That's very sweet of you to say."

Naminé sat across from him, quietly sipping on her tea. They were outside in the garden sitting at one of the white outdoor tables that was cast in the shade of an umbrella that was held up by a pole stuck into the table's surface.

Sora took another taste of his tea, which was ten times more bearable than the last time he sipped out of it.

"So Naminé, how long have you been working here at the castle?"

She smiled. "For about three years now, although, it wasn't always like this." Her smile lessened in optimism.

"How so?"

"Kairi and I go way back. I was an orphan, you know." What a surprise, he was one as well. "Kairi's mother and father took me in. They act as if they did it out of the kindness in their hearts, but I think they really just wanted Kairi to have a play mate." She chuckled. "Being a princess, she didn't have many friends growing up."

Sora didn't bear any sympathy. If that crummy excuse was the reason why the princess was so bitter, then she needed to grow up. He didn't grow up having friends, but he made the most of his situation. He found a best friend in Xion. He realized that although having friends was important, family is where the heart is. Kairi obviously didn't know that. It seemed as if she took her family for granted.

"Anyway, I guess you could say I was hired to bring the princess happiness. I did for a while, I suppose. We were best friends." Naminé smiled as she reminisced. "I remember, we were only five years old, playing with Barbies and running around the house in a game of tag even though it would get on her mother's nerves so much."

"Close knit friends, huh?"

The blonde relaxed her dainty jaw on her palm. "We were." Her eyes wandered up to Kairi's window. "We were inseparable. It was to the point—where I was starting to consider her my sister." She took another sip of her tea before sighing in pleasure. "Then when I turned thirteen, I told them about how I planned on moving from here to get a job. You know, start a career on my own. But Kairi insisted that I stay here since I was still very young, so her parents gave me the job as the maid." Her lovely expression soon turned sour. "But it was around those years that Kairi started to change."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Change? In what kind of way?"

Naminé swirled her spoon around in her cup. "It was when she started to become a lot less cheerful. She was showing signs before that she wasn't the once kind, caring, and amazing princess that she used to be, but I didn't really pay attention." She sighed. "By the time she was fourteen, it was all over."

Sora stared at his teacup silently.

What could have happened to turn the princess into such a pretentious snob? He figured that it wasn't any of his business so he kept his question latent.

Naminé shook her head and smiled. "But enough of these depressing memories. What about you?"

Sora drank out of his cup as he thought how to formulate his words. He held out his cup. "Could you pour me some more?"

"Sure." Naminé did as requested. When his cup was once again full, Sora shook it softly as the tea edged against the rim.

"My parents died when I was a kid. I was twelve going on thirteen. Ever since, I've been running around on the streets trying to feed my sister."

Naminé looked at him sympathetically. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't know." Although, did she not just say let's not talk of anything else depressing?

"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." His eyes narrowed to the grass. "But still… I'm worried about her."

"I understand. It must be hard not being able to look after her."

"You have no idea." He shook out of it and put on a cheery smile. "Sorry, didn't mean to get all emo on you."

Shock painted Naminé's face. "Oh! I've been spending so much time talking that I forgot all about the clothes I left in the dryer." The blonde quickly downed her tea and stood up, giving Sora a bow. "I hope we get the opportunity to chat like this more often."

He nodded with a smirk. "Of course."

Sora watched as she scurried off to tend to the laundry. He sat there, unsure of what to do. He stood up and walked back into the palace, deciding to explore a bit more. He wished Naminé was with him so that he didn't have to get lost in this gargantuan bastion.

Not too long into his walk, he heard a threatening snarl. Sora looked down to see a tigress glaring at him with gritted teeth.

"Hey," he said without much interest. "Got a name?" He asked as if she would actually answer.

Flame roared, but he didn't move a muscle and remained uninterested. He walked away casually.

"Fine, asshole. Be that way."

Flame was confused. She was used to humans aside from her owners to tremble in her company, fearing her for her perilously sharp teeth. She decided to test him by running at him on all fours, but she was subdued rather quickly when Sora placed his foot on her head.

"Don't even think about it, pussy cat. Not in the mood right now."

Sora walked off, leaving the tigress overwhelmed. However, she couldn't help but respect the boy for not being scared. As he aimlessly wandered around the halls, he noticed that the tigress had begun following him. He looked at her suspiciously.

"What are you doing? I said get lost."

She gave him a look that said, 'Make me.'

He sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine. I don't care."

She walked in front of him and nudged at his feet.

"What's wrong?"

Her look said, 'What's wrong with _you_?'

"Nothing," he answered, being able to read her facial expressions easily for some reason. "I'm just—lost." He examined his surroundings. "No, for real, I'm like—totally lost. Do you know where I can find the kitchen?"

Flame nodded and walked off while using her tail to gesture him to follow. Sora did as told and walked casually behind her. As they proceeded through the castle, Sora got to see some of the gorgeous scenery they had lying around, such as statues and large rooms with stylish furniture. Even though he wasn't comfortable at this moment, he had to admit that this was a very nice pad. It made the abandoned library look like the lowest of the low, without question.

Flame finally led him to the kitchen and presented the refrigerator to him. He patted her on the head as he passed. "Thanks, girl."

Sora dug inside of the fridge and pulled out a carton of milk. He looked around at the kitchen awkwardly. "Uh…where are the cups?" he asked Flame.

Flame gave him a blank stare, since she didn't know where they were at either. It wasn't like she ever had to use one before.

"Don't know, huh?"

Sora looked through all of the cabinets, but each and every one of them only had ingredients. Where the heck were the glasses? He looked at the milk carton and pondered. He figured he might as well just drink out of it. Besides Flame, there wasn't anybody else lingering around to watch, and who was she going to tell anyway? She couldn't talk.

Sora glugged it down. The cold dairy tickled his throat as his body was overcome with pleasure. That was some good ass milk. It must have been the finest milk money could offer. Flame looked at him with slight disapproval.

"Don't give me that look, I'm really thirsty and I don't know where those stupid cups are."

Sora was about to drink more before a voice halted him. "What do you think you're doing?"

He nearly spat his drink from the unexpected tone. He turned to see the princess dressed in pink sweats and a tank top, crossing her arms. She looked as if she were about to scold her child. His eyes were focused on her clothes. He didn't know that a princess was capable of wearing such casual clothing.

"Were you drinking out of the carton?" she asked with disgust.

Sora averted his gaze to Flame, asking her what he should do with his eyes, but she only gave him a shrug. Or at least it was the closest thing a tiger could do to perform a shrug.

"You disgusting little twerp!" She snatched the carton out of his hands. "Such an inconsiderate frog, mindlessly appealing to his own needs."

"Can you stop with the name calling? It's getting annoying."

"Whatever," she responded, throwing the milk into a nearby trash can. "How about you make yourself useful around here and fix me something to eat?"

"It's too bad I don't know how to cook."

She sighed. "God, you're useless."

He shrugged smugly. "Hey, I'm a peasant, remember? What did you expect?"

She rolled her eyes as she walked into the main entrance. The only reason she came down there was to find a servant that could whip her up some cereal, but there was no way she was having cereal after Sora just violated her family's milk.

He followed her, much to the princess's annoyance.

"Don't follow me. It makes you look like a creeper."

"Look, I hate to say it, but we have to start getting along if we're gonna do this."

"Okay, fine." Well, that was easy. "We'll get along perfectly as long as you learn to know your place as part of the lower class." Never mind. "Bow before me and you'll earn my dependence."

Sora clenched his fists. "Okay, seriously, I'm not following. What exactly gives you the right to just boss me around?"

She scoffed, as if it were obvious. "The fact that I'm better than you."

Sora grabbed her by the wrist, which caused her to turn quickly. Her eyes demanded answers.

"Just who do you think you're touching, you mongrel!"

"Your attitude really stinks, you know that? It stinks worse than me taking a shit after eating some spicy curry, and I've taken some _legendary _shits after some spicy curry." She looked at him with quirked brows and a disgusted facial expression. "A-Anyway, you think you're so much better than me? Hate to break it to you, but the only reason why you're royalty is by sheer luck that your mom and dad had sex. Otherwise, you'd be no better than any man walking down the street."

Kairi tried to ignore the lewd images of her mother and father having sex as she gave Sora an all-knowing smirk. "Of course, that means I'm better than you. There's a reason I was born into this family, and it's because I was destined to be your superior." She placed her hands on her hips, as if she just solved the case.

Sora shook his head. "Stuck up snob." He strolled off; it was Kairi's turn to follow him this time.

"How dare you? Don't call me names, you frog!"

"You're calling me names, so why can't I call you some?"

"Because I'm better than you."

He turned around to look at her right in the face. It seemed that they were about the same height, with Sora about two inches taller. He used his index finger to flick her on the forehead. She placed her hand on the spot.

"Owie!"

He rolled his eyes and continued walking. She stomped in anger.

"Very well, I just hope you'll enjoy sleeping outside tonight where it's cold!"

He didn't respond. What, did she think he _wanted _to be around her while he slept?

As he left the room, Kairi screamed in anger. She was beyond words at this point. She never knew someone like him could be capable of such disrespect.

He silently walked down the hall. He had a photographic memory, so it was easy for him to remember where the backyard was. He could use an afternoon nap.

Sora entered the garden. He didn't see Naminé anywhere around, so he decided that some shuteye would do him some good. The brunet lay down on the grass and watched the setting sun. His thoughts were scrambled, not knowing what to do.

He thought to himself as he held out his hand, and it wasn't long before the Keyblade popped into his hand. He looked at the radiant weapon without much emotion present on his face.

"What the hell did I get myself into?"

* * *

**Is it just me, or is this chapter a little lack luster? Sorry if it is, but this is Sora's first day at the castle, so we have to get this out of the way. I tried to make it as interesting as I could, but if it's not, please tell me and any other suggestions you may have to help improve this chapter or any other chaps in the future. This chapter should be the official end of this little intro, and we can finally start getting on with the plot. I'll try to have that out as soon as I can. **

**It took me a little while longer for me to get this one out because I didn't know how I wanted to handle it, and I'm a perfectionist so if it takes me a long time to update, it's either because of other things or I'm just being indecisive. **

**Anyway, this story has 17 follows and 13 favs, and that was only with four chapters! That's so awesome! I love you guys so much for that! Seriously, you rock! **

**So, I give a special thanks to everybody who's been supporting. I'll do another shoutout if I eventually hit thirty in either category (favs or follows). Till then, take care and much love to all of you! **


	6. Starting From Scratch

Sora hated uncertainty.

His limp body sat idly atop the thick rail of the balcony that watched over the backyard garden. Across from him was Flame, dangling her tail down the edge.

This had become Sora's unofficial leisure spot. It had the best view of the backyard garden. It was breathtaking. If only Xion were there to see this.

It had been four days since Sora found out that he was the chosen bearer of the Keyblade. The king and queen had been in and out of the castle frequently to check on the impending Heartless situation in the town. Flame had been following him around constantly, but he didn't mind. He thought it was kind of cute. Xion would have loved her.

Sora and Kairi mutually avoided each other. Neither of them had any intention of getting to know one another. They came from two completely different worlds, and neither of them was interested to come to understand the fine points of their perpendicular lifestyles. All Sora wanted was for the princess to realize that the world didn't orbit around her. Perhaps Xion would be able talk some sense into her. Her charm was contagious.

Xion, Xion, Xion. She wouldn't get out of his head.

Whether it was guilt, worry, fear, or all that mixed into a basin of denial, all Sora knew was that he needed to see her. Was leaving really an alternative? It wasn't like the princess longed for his aid, and it had been fairly quiet around here. He was simply an extra resident that she paid no mind to. Living in the palace wasn't anything special or beneficial; he was still a nobody.

He should just leave and allow them to forget about him once it's all over. Despite the urgency to up and vanish, something in his heart told him he was right where he needed to be. It was the only thing that kept him from walking out of the doors his first day here.

"Mister Yukana?"

Naminé stood by the door. "Oh, what's up?"

"You look a bit lonely out here."

He chuckled lightly. "I'm not lonely, Flame's right there."

"That's not what I meant."

His eyes warded off to the garden. The breeze flirted with trickling leaves. Naminé's third note; he seemed to be a loner in the company of new faces. "Mister Yukana, if you ever want to talk, I'd never oppose. I'll drop whatever it is I'm doing if that may be the case."

"Thanks, Naminé."

She sat beside Sora's foot. Flame rested her head on the maid's lap and she didn't hesitate to stroke her soft fur.

"I know how you feel, Mister Yukana. You're worried about your sister. You said her name was Xion, correct?" He didn't utter a sound. "I see that look on your face… and I can tell… something is killing you inside right now. You try to hide it, and perhaps the others can't tell, but I most certainly feel for your silent pain."

Sora had no appreciation for her pep talk. "Why are you here?"

She gawked timidly. "I-I'm sorry, I just wanted to see if you were okay. Forgive me if I offended you. I hate seeing you look so confused and scared, Mister Yukana. It just doesn't seem to be part of your character."

"How would you know that?" he asked, not once parting his eyes from the garden.

"I have the ability to read people just by observing their facial expressions, body language, and actions. With that information, I can easily come to understand a person and their background. All this time you've been sulking over your sister. It led me to finally realize what's been troubling you." She turned to face him. "You made a promise, didn't you?"

His eyes widened.

"I see. That must be where the guilt is coming from. Let me guess, you promised to stay by her side? And now that you're here in the castle, you feel as if you're betraying her."

He deformed into an emotionless expression.

"I had a feeling," she said as she returned her eyes to Flame, watching her revolve her head in pleasure to Naminé's magical, miracle-working fingers. "I know what it feels like to make a promise to someone, but fail to keep it. It's probably the reason why… Kairi hates me so much."

There was something she wasn't telling him. Her secrecy was too broad. Unfortunately, Sora didn't care enough to even bother asking. Whenever she was ready to spill, she would.

"I lost my best friend, and it was all because I couldn't keep that stupid promise. It's my fault Kairi is the way she is now. Mister Yukana, I don't want you to have to go through that, the feeling of letting someone down, and then never being able fix the damage no matter what you do. But I also want you to do what is right. So no matter how confusing it is right now, or how painful it is… you have to understand that you must always follow your heart."

Sora stood from the platform rail with furrowed brows. "I'm leaving."

"W-What's wrong? Where are you going?"

"I don't like liars, Naminé."

The vague statement left her with the taste for elaboration, but he walked into the hallway before she could inquire. For him, anywhere was better than here. Her questions and concerns, he had heard numerous renditions of them the past whenever handling shady characters on the streets. Conversation manipulation was nothing new to him. He didn't like being played for a fool.

He walked without direction. The halls seemed gloomier this afternoon. They were so empty, hollow of life. He admitted that Naminé wasn't entirely wrong; she was right about following his heart. There's a big difference between what you want to do and what you need to do.

He wanted to ditch this place and go see his little sister—but he shamefully admitted that this was probably where he needed to be. The reason? It was left frolicking in abandoned cottage.

Kairi passed him by still clad in her sleep attire. She was as expressive as a brick wall. Coming contact with someone he had spent the past few days desperately trying to avoid stimulated awkwardness. They walked by each other without uttering a peep.

Who was he kidding? There was no need to be here. The princess wouldn't even acknowledge his existence, let alone even speak to him. Maybe leaving was the best thing to do, and then all of this tension in the air could evaporate. He was just holding everybody back.

Sora came across the main foyer, but ducked by the rails once he saw the unexpected. Two men in black cloaks was a classification for suspicious. Need he say more?

"What business do you have here?" Claire asked.

Two individuals were dressed in long black cloaks with their faces discarded within the shadow of their hoods. They stood before the queen. The pressure of their chilly aura felt like darkness, but Claire wasn't frightened. She had her sword tucked into her back pouch just in case. If they wanted to start something, she'd surely oblige to their wishes by turning into Lightning once again.

The cloaked men bowed before her. "Is it a crime to visit the queen after such a long absence?"

"Yes, if it is unannounced. Who are you?"

She could practically see the smirk forming underneath that dark hood.

"An old friend of yours."

Funny, his voice wasn't familiar, yet she couldn't deny his familiarity. Goosebumps became aroused and her irritation welled up.

"I'll repeat my question, and this time, I expect a name. Who are you?" Her mood quickly shifted into an unpleasant one. Suspense was not the queen's forte.

"I'm sorry your Highness, that's classified." Claire growled. "It's been quite some time, though. I have to say, you're still just as gorgeous as before. How old are you? You should be thirty seven, if I recall correctly. You look ten years younger. The perks a royal pedestal, I suppose."

Claire clenched her fist.

"Oh, if only such an honor were to be bestowed onto me. Tell me, Queen Claire… what is thirty seven minus sixteen?"

She raised a brow. "Twenty one?"

The disguised figure chuckled. "I'm here to forewarn you."

"Of what? Does it have something to do with the heartless?"

"Ah, still ripe as an apple, no doubt. You seem to catch on just as quickly as before."

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist. Tell me what you know."

"There's a fleet of Heartless headed this way. My suspicions lead me to believe that they are headed towards the canyon. For what reason, my colleague and I do not know."

"Hm," Claire mumbled, unsure whether or not to trust these shady beneficiaries.

The leader of the two outstretched his hand. "Come with me, and I can show you where they are. Together we can protect the people of this city."

She shook her head. "No, that's quite alright. My husband is out on patrol right now. If he sees anything, especially something as obvious as that, he'll let me know."

"I suppose a rain check, then."

She squinted. "I suppose it is."

"One more thing before I go. I've heard rumors that a Keyblade wielder is within these premises. He is the one chosen to protect your humble Princess. Is that correct?"

Sora grunted. He prepared to draw his Keyblade if necessary. Sweat drizzled down the side of his forehead. He'd be a goner if the Queen spoke on his behalf.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Claire declared. Sora's fears repressed into vapor. He placed a hand to his rapidly beating heart. "There are no Keyblade wielders in this castle. You must have heard falsely."

The cloaked figure stared the Queen down, as if looking into her soul to locate the truth. Her eyes didn't waver.

"What about you? You're a Keyblade Master, aren't you?"

"That's all in the past. I'm quite comfortable in my role as Queen now. I would like to politely request that you leave, or I'll have my men escort you out."

The figure chortled. "Thank you for sparing these few minutes with us, your Majesty." He mockingly bowed once again as he and his protégé exited the citadel.

That man was too familiar. His voice may have been slightly alien to her memory, but the choice of his words pierced her. Was it… it couldn't be… he was locked up, so she had nothing to fear.

Right?

"Hey," Sora said, walking towards her. "I heard from upstairs."

"Oh?" She smirked.

He nodded. "Thanks, I really owe you one."

"You owe me, huh?" She tenderly grabbed his shoulders. A heat wave rushed through his body from sudden opposite-sex intimacy, but he remained straight faced.

"Then I have one favor to ask of you."

"Sure. Anything."

"Please protect my daughter. Keep her safe, no matter what."

That was _not _a promise he was looking forward to fulfilling. Damn woman, why must you do this to him? His contemplation for leaving felt meaningless. She chuckled lightly to his facial expression and kissed him on the cheek. He softened up quite a bit before she strutted off. Sora gawked as her hips swayed. She ambled effortlessly. Why couldn't he have the job of protecting _her, _god damn it?

There was no turning back now.

Claire stopped. "By the way, Sora, could you be a dear and tell Serah to come down? I need her to help with these powder kegs so that we can light some candles."

"Will do."

Sora took a walk around the castle. Even after the four days of him wandering around the grounds like an idiot, he still had an entire half yet to be explored.

He stopped by Kairi's room. He mulled over whether or not if he should try and patch things up between them, but he decided against it. Now wasn't the right time.

Sora came across Serah's room and didn't even think to knock before trespassing. There she was, the girl he was just about to talk to, wearing nothing but a towel over her body to cover the juicy bits with a second towel being dabbed all over her damp hair, indicating that she had just gotten out of the shower. Her eyes twitched.

Neither of them flinched, moved a muscle, or made an embarrassing notion. Serah stared at him in horror with her red stained face. Sora felt the tension of the air compress him.

"S-Sorry," Sora trembled.

"PERVERT!"

The last thing Sora remembered was her foot connecting with his chin as he sprung out of her room. He hit the wall with a thud before he slid down. He opened his exhausted eyes to find that she had quickly shut her door.

His head throbbed as he made his way back up to his feet. "Hey, I'm sorry!"

"What do you want, peeping tom!?"

Perhaps it was reckless of him to barge in there without warning. "I didn't mean to, I swear! But Queen Claire wanted to see you so you could help out with the powder kegs, so she sent me."

"Next time, you knock!"

"I learned my lesson," he admitted. He prepared to leave.

"By the way," she said, stopping him in his tracks.

"Yeah?"

"You really do need to talk to Kairi." Those were the last words he expected. "I know that you two aren't on the best terms right now, and I know Kairi seems like a total… you know… Trust me; you two have a lot in common."

That statement hit him as hard as a boulder. His and Kairi's name in the same sentence with _in common_? The shear monstrosity of the spectacular declaration made Sora burst into fits.

As his laughter died down, he wiped a tear away. "Thanks for the laugh. I needed it."

He continued down the hall. What to do, oh, what to do? Sora didn't know whether it would be best to confront Kairi or to keep things the way they were in hopes that they'd banish him from the castle. Sora knew what they were doing was childish, avoiding each other like little kids that still found erroneous truth in cooties. It was immature and knew this, so why did he not stop it? What was he supposed to do?

_Talk to her, of course! _

Who the hell said that? He looked on his left shoulder to see an angel version of himself giving him a stern stare. He rubbed his head, thinking he had officially gone crazy.

_I think you are going crazy, _the angel said, listening to Sora's thoughts, _This is childish, Sora, like you said it is. Didn't your parents raise you better than this? All you're doing is running away from your problems. _

Yes, but running away seemed like the best way to go.

Running away is how we tend to resolve our problems, without necessarily resolving them for the better. It allows us to escape from reality, find that special happy place, and forget whatever it is that's troubling us. The pain can finally wash away against the shore, being lost in the deep blue sea completely abandoned by land. The fear of the problem at hand can depart from the forefront of the mind.

_But only for so long! Sooner or later, you'll have to confront your problems and face them. Ignoring the situation is just stupid. You're basically asking to get slapped in the face with it later on. _

**Man, fuck that bitch. **

Sora turned to his right shoulder to see another small version of his self dressed in a demon outfit.

**That prissy princess doesn't know anything about what we've had to go through. She's never had to lift her finger in her entire life, the little puss ass. What's the use in trying to find a path that isn't there? It's just a dead end that'll always be a dead end. **

Also true. He and Kairi simply didn't have it in either of them to understand each other and probably never would. They were the complete opposite of compatible. If that were the case, then what was the use in wasting his time?

_You'll never know unless you try. Who knows? Maybe Kairi is actually a really nice girl. _

**Nice girl? Ha, have you seen that tramp? She's not gonna do him any good. **

_But how would you know that? If you've yet to experiment these kinds of things, you'll stay in a complacent state of mind. _

**You're really starting to get on my nerves. **

_Are those fighting words? _

**Come at me bro! **

The angel and the devil got into a physical scuffle right in front of Sora's eyes. He was convinced that he was officially insane at this point. He must have gotten spiked when he had something to drink earlier or something. Was it Naminé? It was probably that damn Naminé!

After finally cleansing himself of his odd hallucinations, he realized what he had to do.

He knew that if he knocked on the door, there would be no turning back. If he spoke to the princess, he'd lose the opportunity to leave and visit Xion. But the punishment for leaving without telling anyone wasn't worth it. This was the best route to follow.

He took a deep breath as he mustered up the courage to knock on the door.

Come on Sora; get your head in the game. His haphazard fear of encounter was fruitless. He rapped his knuckles against the door. Thirty seconds passed and still received no response. He knocked again.

"Princess? It's uh—it's me, Sora. I know you're in there."

No response.

"We need to talk."

...

"Fine, if you're gonna be that way, I'm just gonna barge in."

...

"Okay, you asked for it."

Sora opened the door to find Kairi in the possession of the black cloaks that discussing with the queen earlier. Didn't they leave the premises? One of them had muffled Kairi's mouth to keep her quiet. Maybe he and Kairi would get along better if she stayed that way.

"Hey!" Sora yelled as he sprinted towards them.

The figure flaunted his hand towards the boy, causing a gush of wind to be blown at his direction. Sora flew out of the room, hitting his head against the wall.

"Oops," the black cloak said sarcastically. Sora growled as they dashed their way out of Kairi's room. With no other option, he followed.

One of the men somersaulted into the air. As he twirled in the midst of his airborne, he unleashed two red beams of energy that extended directly from the palm of his hands. He called them the Ethereal Blades.

"Out of my way!" Sora cried.

Xemnas smirked underneath the hood as he scuttled towards Sora with impending speed. Sora dodge rolled. Before he had a chance to view his surroundings, Xemnas zipped behind him.

Xemnas slashed his energy blades at Sora in fast succession. Years of escaping from the paws of Pete's guards made it almost mandatory for Sora to teach himself quick reflexes. He was able to duck and dodge every hit Xemnas threw his way. Xemnas's failure to land a hit resulted in the destruction of abstract artifacts surrounding them.

"You know, you really suck at this," Sora joked.

"Shut up."

Xemnas attempts were for superfluous, Sora was too swift. He rolled under the cloaked figure's legs. He swept them with his own leg, causing Xemnas to come hurdling down.

Sora figured that ought to buy him some time. He sprinted down the main staircase to see the other cloaked figure with Kairi hunched over his shoulder. She pounded her fists against his back.

"Let me go, you jerk! If you don't unhand me, I swear to god I'll make you pay!"

He focused on his mind, soul, and body. A light shined sprouted in his palm before bursting into his Kingdom Key Keyblade. Sora ran towards the individual with his grip tight on the handle.

Xehanort smirked. He had a feeling that Claire was lying earlier. Confirmation was still approved.

Sora lunged as he swiped at the Master, but he darted back as he tossed Kairi to the side. "Argh…!"

Kairi screamed as she tumbled down. Sora outstretched his arms. She safely landed in his possession. "Gotcha!"

Master Xehanort coughed. "Your skills are still a bit on the desiccated side, boy. But there's always room to nurture those abilities. I say, a test will show us your true potential.

Xehanort disappeared, leaving a damper on the room. All the energy vanished with him. Kairi glanced at Sora's face and quickly turned away to hide her blush. Sora was lost himself in thought, he didn't even notice. What did he mean by a test?

"Uh, you can put me down now."

Her voice brought him back to reality. "Oh, sure," he cracked. He awkwardly placed her back on her feet. She wiped the dust off her pink sweats and whipped her hair.

Sora obnoxiously cleared his throat.

"You have something to say?" she asked.

"I dunno, but maybe a thank you wouldn't be out of the question for just saving your life."

"Idiot, you didn't save my life. You just got lucky."

Denial. "You say that, but the outcome still doesn't change. I still saved your life, even if you don't admit it." He smirked.

"Well—I—oh be quiet, you frog!"

Before he could retort, loud footsteps interrupted his train of thought. From the stairs, the other cloaked individual came their way. Kairi cuddled into Sora for protection, soon realized what she was doing, and backed off of him with a disgusted look. Why was she seeking the protection of a peasant?

Sora didn't care to pay it any mind as he got into his battle stance. "Stay back, Princess!"

Xemnas stopped a few feet away from them. A stare down commenced. Kairi's knees shuddered. She didn't know whether or not if she could rely on the peasant, but he sure did look like he knew what he was doing. He stared back at the figure fearlessly. She had to admit that it was quite admirable.

"Who are you?" Sora asked.

Xemnas took note of his Keyblade. "Ah, it seems you are special, too."

The brunet growled. "What are you talking about? Tell me what you want from here."

Xemnas ignored his request. "You remind me of him."

Sora despised mind games and riddles. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sora turned to Kairi. "Kairi, run."

She took his wise advice and high tailed it out of the main foyer. Sora turned back to Xemnas and gripped his Keyblade, running with full force. He swiped his blade, but he failed to notice that Xemnas had shifted behind him.

Xemnas saw the opening. He roared a battle cry as he struck. Sora rolled onto his knees but quickly flipped, dodging an oncoming laser projectile. "Too slow!"

Sora fell onto his side, making for a very abrupt end to his flip. Sora decided not to dwell on how uncool he made himself look as he made it to his feet.

Sora wiped his forehead of anxious sweat. He got back into his battle stance only to realize he had no sight of Xemnas. He darted his head left and right, but there was no sign of him. He felt a sudden jolt in his system as another blade connected a hard hit.

He cried in pain as he hit the ground. He looked up as Xemnas dove towards him. Sora rolled back to avoid the oncoming collision.

"You seem to be quite resilient, but you're hopeless in this kind of confrontation. I've had numerous chances to end your life already."

"Yeah? Well, you must have been born on a highway because that's where most accidents happen."

Xemnas ignored the pathetic quip. He spun into the air and came down with a exhilarating swipe to Sora's back. He grunted in pain. Xemnas should have known. The boy still wasn't properly trained to wield the Keyblade and a painfully obvious quite the amateur.

Sora struggled to get to his knees before he was kicked in the gut.

"How disappointing. And here I thought I'd be able to have some fun with a real challenge. This is quite the let down."

Sora pushed himself up to his feet and weakly got into his stance, his left eye closed to help ease the pain. He licked his lips and tasted blood.

"Y'know, I'd like to see things from your perspective. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get my head that far up my ass."

Xemnas snarled. "You seem oddly confident. Are you not trembling with fear? Your life may be at stake."

"Hey, if I die, then that's just the way it'll have to be. I'd rather die than be afraid of a cunt like you."

"Is that so?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah. Death, to me, is destiny. So, if you end up killing me, then that's just how it's supposed to be."

Xemnas, still discarded under the hood, turned his head to the side. "I don't cooperate well with destiny. But…"

Xemnas skidded towards his opponent after catching him off guard. Sora's eyes widened. Xemnas struck relentlessly, his blades whistling through the air with every swing. He batted Sora in the air like a tennis ball. Pulling his arm back, Xemnas launched a surge of energy at Sora as he hurled in mid-air. He made hard impact with the ground. Sora could see very little—only a barmy confusion of color dancing in his eye.

Before Xemnas could further his punishment, he was hit with a brunt of a widening burst of ice. A few feet away from his stood Queen Claire, next to her was Riku and Merlin.

"Hands off," Claire said calm yet forcefully.

Xemnas smirked. "Looks like it's a party."

Claire promptly leaped down to meet with Xemnas as she drew her sword. She stepped forward and whirled her sword in a fast spinning motion as she clanged her weapon against him. Xemnas effectively parried her attack, but he wasn't prepared for the way she hastily struck out her kick at his shin with a solid crunch. Distracted and grieving in pain of his ankle, Claire found a weak spot as she she rammed her knee upwards to his face.

She braced the heel of her left shoe against the rough ground before spinning with her right leg outstretched. She shoved her leg into Xemnas in one smooth motion. His stumbled footing gave Claire the opportunity to dash forward and land a hard strike with her sword.

Xemnas was alarmed at her skill. He eventually found just enough breathing room to hurl a blast from his palm. With clenched teeth, she spiraled backwards, shifting her weight against the energy currents. She planted her feet firmly only to find another oncoming blast. She sidestepped and the blast passed a hairs breath from her face.

"Don't make me angry. Trust me when I say that's the last thing you want. I'll have to become the person I've vowed not to be anymore. But I'm not one to be tempted."

Xemnas wasn't afraid of that lifeless statement, but he figured that Xehanort was ready for depart. "I suppose I'll make my exit, then." He turned halfway to look at Sora through peripheral vision. He was on one knee while clutching his stomach. "Hm. This should be interesting."

Sora had enough of him. He ran towards Xemnas, the Keyblade trailing behind. "What are you talking about?"

Sora hopped into the air and came down with a swing, but all he heard was an airy swish. Xemnas manually made himself intangible and gradually faded away.

"You may not be able to understand now, but until we made again…"

"I don't care about any of that. Why won't you tell me what you want?!"

Xemnas left the conversation as it was as he completely faded.

Sora's brain pounded against the inner walls of his skull. Globules of sweat rolled down his forehead. His ears were ringing and his breath ran away from him. Fatigue crept on him as his knees collapsed. The others tended to him quickly.

"Sora!" Riku yelled.

Everything went black.

* * *

A bright light pierced at his vision. It was as if the sun paid him a personal visit. Was he dead? God, where are you?

Nope, never mind. It was just a regular light bulb. His eyes met with another pair of eyes.

"You're awake," Riku said, sighing of relief.

Sora sat up and rubbed his head. He noticed that he looked and felt relatively unscathed aside from a few scratches patched up by bandages. He was cramped into the arms of Serah.

"Sora! Oh my god, you had me so worried! Instead of showing off all the time, how about you just let sissy handle the dirty work next time, okay?"

"Nffggh," Sora said muffled in the pit of her enormous breasts. Sora never thought boobs could be so annoying.

As Serah parted from him, familiar faces surrounded him. They belonged to Merlin, Claire, and Hope.

Claire walked up to Sora, looking deep into his eyes. Was he about to receive a reward kiss for all of his hard work? If this was what he got for saving their daughter, then that bitch ought to get in trouble every day.

"Sora…" Claire husked as she drew nearer to his face. Sora puckered his lips, ready to partake in the best moment of his life.

Instead of a kiss, he received a slap across the back of his scalp.

"You had us worried! Don't be so reckless!"

After quickly getting over the disappointment of no kiss from the queen and the throbbing pain from the back of his head, he gave them a genuine gaze. "You guys were really worried about me?"

"Of course!" Merlin said without hesitation. "You're a part of the family now!"

Slow down, old man. Sora didn't consider himself a part of their family. He barely knew any of them, and it wasn't like he was marrying Kairi (god forbid). His job was to protect her. Anything else and you were thinking way too far outside of the box.

He didn't want to ruin the moment and burst their bubble with his thoughts, so he just took the kind statement and smiled. "Thanks, guys. Sorry for making you worry."

Hope smiled. "It's no biggie. Just be more careful next time, especially since you're still new to using your Keyblade. You didn't exactly perform commendably."

Serah turned to him with curious orbs. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. He definitely had a lot to learn.

"How did you guys know I was in trouble?"

"How could we not with all of that racket," Serah answered. "But you ought to thank Kairi. She was the one who told all of us the situation. She actually seemed a little worried."

Kairi was worried about him? That'd be a first. The doorknob jiggled, causing heads to turn. Kairi stood by the door and leaned into the frame with her arms crossed. "Everybody get out. Now."

The visitors did as told. Serah passed by with a smug look. "Party pooper."

Kairi ignored the innocent jab. It wasn't enough to distract her glare aimed at Sora with deadly precision.

"The hell is your problem?" he asked. Did she really hate him _that _much?

He received no response as she stared with jagged eyebrows. After making him as uncomfortable as possible, she finally decided to take a seat next to his bed. A few more moments of silence passed. "What you did back there… why did you do it?"

He didn't respond. He only offered a weary gaze.

"Are you stupid? Why did you save me even after all of the horrible things I said to you?" She turned her face, trying to remain prideful. "I-I said that I was better than you. So why…?"

He shook his head at her naïveté. "It's called a conscious. I'm the chosen one for a reason, you know. You might be a snob, conceited, selfish, brat, but… I wouldn't just sit there and let you die."

His pathetic performance didn't make up much for it. He'd have to begin some training sessions to learn how to use his Keyblade better if he was going to be serious about this. Wait a second; did he just sort of confirm that he was staying? He confirmed yes once he saw Kairi's slightly red tinted face. Whether it was out of anger or embarrassment, he had no clue.

"Well…" he hinted.

"Well, what?" she admonished.

"Well, don't you have something to say to me?"

Gratitude had been foreign to her for years now. She congregated the will as she transitioned through odd expressions. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

How pathetic. "Typical."

She straightened her face. "Humph! I don't take orders from you!"

It wasn't like Sora had high expectations. He swallowed his pride. "Well, I'm glad you're okay."

He was killing her with his kindness. Did she skip the part where they were supposed to hate each other? Either way, he was still just a peasant. But with an act he pulled today, her trust was probably the least she could offer.

"Listen up. You've proven yourself worthy today. With this in mind, I will now accept your dependence."

He smirked. "So, does this mean we won't be avoiding each other anymore?"

"Uh—well, I suppose." Her glare returned in an instant. "But let's get some ground rules out of the way!"

"Er, okay."

She marked each rule off with her fingers. "First, you don't touch me! Secondly, you don't look at me unless I give you permission to! Thirdly, you follow the orders I give you, no matter what they are! Abide to these rules, and there shall be no problems."

He would have lashed out if he weren't so tired right now.

"Okay." He might as well lead her on with a false promise, for it wouldn't be long before he backed out on living up to any of those rules.

She crossed her arms. "And just so we're clear, we are not friends, we are not allies. We are simply associates and nothing more."

"You say that as if I was thinking otherwise."

"And fourthly, don't speak unless I give you permission!"

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Kairi."

"AND DON'T ADDRESS ME BY MY FIRST NAME! EVER!" She sighed as she released all of her emotions. She finally got everything she wanted to say out in the open.

"Well, I'm off to bed."

Sora nodded. "Let me escort you out."

She raised a brow, considering that the door was literally three feet away from her, but if he insisted…

Sora sat up from his bed and staggered to his feet, grunting slightly from the pain. After maintaining some balance, he helped the princess out of her chair and led her to the door.

"Goodnight, Kairi."

"I SAID—"

**Wham! **Before she could barge back in, he twisted the lock as she banged on the door.

"You come out here you worthless frog, piece of trash, unhygienic, unholy, garbage infested, son of a—"

Sora got back into bed and tucked himself in, closing his eyes in satisfaction to the sweet, blissful sound of Kairi yelling in a bout of her sensitive temper. Under the blanket of guilt of not being near Xion to keep her secured at the moment, he admitted to himself that. "Maybe this won't be so bad…"

* * *

A cliff overlooked Radiant Garden, and he stood there shamefully with his grandson in tow. It was the same place where the now-queen subdued him with little to no dilemma. For him to even be here right now was a shame to his own name. Master Xehanort pulled back on his hood to reveal a youthful face.

"Master Xehanort, what seems to be troubling you?" Xemnas said as he pulled off his own hood.

"It's nothing, Xemnas." His eyes attached to Radiant Garden with fire embezzled in his cornea.

"Ha, so that's who we're up against? This may be easier than we thought. That boy is inexperienced. He's still got much to learn. I don't even see how that loser has the potential to wield a Keyblade." Xemnas chuckled.

"Never count anyone out. Perhaps one day, he will grow into his ability. As for now, he's not worth our attention. But what's important is that we've confirmed the rumors as true."

Xehanort never intended to kidnap Kairi. She was bait for the impending, inevitable rescuer she'd receive.

"I had a feeling that the queen was lying through her teeth. I told you going back was a good idea."

"You were right, as always, grandfather."

"What did I say about calling me grandfather, boy?"

"Sorry."

"It's alright." Xehanort placed his arms behind his back. "How about we lay low for a bit? Now that our existence is out of the bag, we need to keep our identities a secret. Until then, we recruit."

"Sounds like plan, Master."

The thirteen darkness's would be the key to his triumph. The path to rejoice, as he would finally be able to open the door to darkness. He needed seven lights to endure the brunt of a war, he needed that kid alive. For now. Sora was just a stepping stone leading him to the promise land.

"Indeed."

* * *

Rainy days seemed to always have that uncanny knack at sucking the life out of everything.

It was the day after Sora's encounter with Xehanort and Xemnas. He was currently sunken into Kairi's mattress. This lightweight feeling was foreign. The stress from his overwrought muscles was absorbed by the sheets. It had been an uneventful day. Rain brought an enormous weight on everyone's shoulders. They slugged through the day without using time productively.

Kairi crouched down by her dresser. She was stuffing clothes into a white bin. Her face was etched with irritation. Being a bitch was probably in her job description. He couldn't blame her for being so prideful. She had probably grown up in an environment where pride and dignity was all she had. She was only holding onto what was expected of her.

Xion's name hummed in his thoughts. He wanted to trust Xion, he really did, but at a parallel time, he couldn't condone himself to be composed. He knew Xion must have been worried sick about him, which is what actually paralyzed him sometimes. He hoped Xion didn't give up on herself just because her big brother wasn't there to support her.

Kairi stood up with the laundry bin in tow. She turned around and frowned. "Get your filthy self off of my mattress."

Sora groaned as he lugged himself off of the comforter. She shoved the laundry to his chest.

"What is this?" he asked as he searched through the clutter of colliding colors.

"What do you think, you moron? It's my laundry. For your first task, I want you to go and wash these for me."

He raised a brow. "Uh, isn't this Naminé's job?"

Her finger darted at him like a dagger with a jagged edge. "Don't you dare say that wench's name within my boundaries. The _maid _is busy preparing lunch, and I need these clothes done before my body feels like it's being clutched in cardboard."

"Yeah, yeah. I don't need your life story. Look, here's an idea, how about you do your own laundry?"

Her mouth gapes at his suggestion. "How dare you? I give you an order and you try to worm your way out of it like the treacherous leech you are? Me, doing my own laundry," she repeated with disgust. "Ugh! Now go out there and get these clothes cleaned!"

Sora dragged himself out of her room with a tired expression. Doing laundry was not his specialty. He hadn't done any laundry ever since his parents were alive, so this brat better hope he remembered how to do this.

She slammed her door, causing a faint tremor underneath his foot. If he recalled correctly, the washer was located in the basement.

The steps did a number on Sora's legs from the nonstop walking. The bin seemed to be sitting in his arms harder than before. The whole area was like a whip of vertigo. This castle was too big for its sake. A big living space was fine, but if your own butler was getting lost in the maze, then there was a problem.

Even with all the residents staying there, it was quite lonely. Looking for somebody became an unnecessary journey to the center of the earth. They're practically the same thing.

Sora made it to the basement and spotted the washer and dryer. Finally, he came to the haven he had been searching for. He took a step forward, but unknown to him, the floor was slippery from the puddles snuck in during the spite of the rain. His left leg tangled with his right, and he ended up tumbling down to his defeat. The clothes came crashing out of the bin into one big, wet pile.

To put the insulting cherry on top, a pair of panties gracefully landed on one of his spiky locks of hair, dangling in front of his eyes, laughing at his clumsyness. If he could have mustered up the energy, he would have quickly backed away in repulse. Unfortunately, Sora couldn't care less.

He heard a faint giggle from behind him. He turned to find Naminé with a smile.

"Oh, Mr. Yukana…" she said as she helped the hopeless boy up to his feet. Sora removed the pair of undergarments away from his face cautiously and set it down as if it were a ticking bomb.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I was just doing some laundry. Even though I'm kinda lost as to what I'm supposed to do."

"I've been in your shoes before. Need some help?"

"You're a lifesaver, Nam."

The blonde gathered the clothes, separated them, and tossed the first load into the washer with no sweat. Sora leaned against the dryer.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem, really."

It may as well not be. He was doing her job anyway.

"I thought you were fixing lunch," Sora asked suspiciously.

"I am. But the servants offered me a break, so they took over the duty for a moment."

"So, you decided to come down here for your break?"

"Yes, I saw you enter here and I decided to see what you were up to." Naminé stretched her aching arms. "The servants really are too kind."

"You're pretty close to the servants around here. Is there a back story?"

She shakes her head as she leant against the washer to parallel Sora. "Nothing worth mentioning. Just years of working with them."

"Hm."

Sora hated small talk. It was a waste of his breath and time.

"You and the princess seem to be doing better," Naminé said to break the silence.

He scoffed, crossing his arms. "Well yeah, but I hope you're using the word 'better' loosely."

"I am."

"Good, because it's not like we're getting along."

"But that doesn't mean there's no room for improvement." She wagged her finger.

"Yeah it does. That would mean that I actually would ever like Kairi to begin with."

"And who's to say that you won't? Emotions can be delicate. They switch at the least expected times, and they'll reign over you if you don't have any control over them. And quite frankly—they're the most finicky occurrences you can experience."

"Sounds like you know a little somethin' somethin' about this."

"I-I…" she sighed, "It's complicated."

He darted an eye at her. Her posture quivered but soon went back to its original stature.

"Anyway, this isn't about me. This is about you and Kairi getting along."

"I don't see that happening anytime soon."

"Well, you saved her life yesterday, I'm sure she'll eventually warm up to you. In fact, I'd like to think she's quite grateful. She just has a funny way of showing it."

"Whatever."

"Take some time to think about it. I don't want you and Kairi to fall out simply because of your divergences. The Keyblade chose you to protect her for a reason, you know."

Something about Naminé was off. Everything she said sounded half-hearted, and Sora just couldn't pinpoint what it was about it.

"Why do you care so much about me and Kairi?"

"You misunderstand, Mister Yukana," she said as she placed a few strands of hair behind her ear, "I think you and Miss Estheim have the ability to come to understand each other. But you have to ask her why she is the way she is now."

He rolled his eyes. "Forget it. I'm not a therapist."

She pinched in between her eyes. "You still don't get my point, idiot…" she said under her breath, but Sora picked up a few words.

"What was that?"

"N-nothing! Nothing."

"Well, well," said a voice. They noticed Riku coming their way wearing his trademark smirk. "So this is where you guys always go. You two doin' a little something behind the scenes?"

Naminé's face went hot, but Sora was unaffected as he only raised a brow. "What detail in this situation would give you that idea?"

"Two people alone of the opposite sex automatically creates assumption, no matter how lacking the intimacy is," he stated as-a-matter-of-factly with a smirk.

"Well, that's dumb," Sora deadpanned.

"What are you doing down here?" Naminé asked.

"Serah asked me to get her bin." Riku pointed to a container that was full of clothes that looked like they belonged to a female. "She totally wants me."

"Oh yeah, sure, because tossing someone around to do my dirty work is how I show my affection all the time."

"Ah, whatever. She'll open up to me eventually. At least you and Kairi are talking now."

"You guys act like that's some kind of accomplishment. It's not like we're friends or anything. We still hate each other."

"But it's a big step from completely ignoring each other," Naminé added.

"She's right, you know."

"I really don't need your two cents," Sora scowled.

Riku upheld his hands. "Fine, fine. But just remember that sometimes giving people a chance leads to new opportunities."

Sora liked to think of himself as a great opportunist, but he never even considered any benefits from being involved with a name of royalty.

"I still think Kairi is a bitch."

"And you're entitled to that fact, my friend," Riku said as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't you mean opinion?" Sora raised a brow.

"Nope," Naminé interjected with a cheerful smile, "it's a fact."

"But the point is," Riku said, "maybe you could teach her a thing or two. Let her know that you have her best interest."

"But I don't."

"It's called acting. And then, we—I m-mean, you can go up in the ranks in royalty."

"Oh, I get it. You just want me to get on her good side so that I can drag you to the top."

He shrugged. "It was worth a shot." He picked up Serah's bin. "But who knows? Maybe one day, we'll see you and Kairi on the alter some day."

"ALTER?!" Sora's eyebrows twitched. Naminé giggled.

"Later." Riku jogged upstairs.

"Alter?" They weren't even remotely close to assume anything on par with marriage. Of course, he knew Riku was only messing with him. Still, Sora had an obligation to Xion. She was first and foremost. If the castle weren't so heavily guarded he would have tried to escape, but there wasn't a point.

"Mister Yunkana?" Naminé brought him out of his thoughts. "What's on your mind?"

Until then, he'd have to stay here and see what becomes of him.

"It's nothing."

* * *

**There you go! I hope this chapter makes up for the particularly, as one of you said, uneventful previous chapter. I tried to make this one a lot more eventful. Leave a review telling me what you think! Constructive criticism is never looked down upon!**

**Obviously, that scene up there with Sora fighting Xemnas is supposed to parallel the one from Final Mix. **

**A few of you seem to already miss Xion! lol Don't worry, she'll come back and I haven't forgotten about her. I'm keeping you guys in the dark about her situation on purpose, but don't you guys worry. **

**If you have any suggestions or ideas, I'll gladly take them into consideration. And anything that can help improve my writing is always acceptable. So don't be afraid to give me a suggestion in case you think I may get offended (as long as you're not a troll about it), because this story is for you guys more so than me. All I want is to make something worth while and I'd like to hear from the people who read it. Even if you don't like it, tell what you don't like so that I have something to look at and maybe try to improve on. **

**I'll try to get the next chap up soon. Much love to everybody who's been supporting. Take care! **


	7. True Colors

_You're the best damn thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't want to lose you! Do you hear me? So promise me, you won't leave me…_

A promise can be so hollow. The meaning behind it may be as strapping as an ox and penetrate through your heart like a dagger if it's broken, but at the end of the day, it's only words. It's simply a favor to keep, an errand to run, another thing added to your to-do list. But that word somehow had a certain _feel _to it that made it cuff onto you like a chain, and if you broke it, your stomach churns out of the guilt. At least, this is how Sora felt.

Promise, huh?

Quite frankly, Sora felt like he was a pretty shitty promise keeper.

He promised his mother to look after Xion every day, and then he promised Xion he wouldn't leave her. Both promises were concrete, but Sora stomped on them, creating disrespectful crack. Okay, perhaps that was a little over exaggerated. It wasn't like he deliberately broke his promises; he just had a difficult time keeping them. Juggling pledges was just as hard as it sounded.

In his usual spot, Sora's arm dangled idly over the balcony as the stars subtly winked at him. Flame slept on the floor below, curled up into a cozy ball as she slumbered. If anything, this was the highlight of his days. Just being able to stare at the sky like this was a breathtaking experience. As the breeze came to a standstill, the solid chirping of the crickets became apparent. There was something so soothing, being wrapped up in the dark blanket of the night. It felt warm and secure.

He heard the window behind him creak. He turned around to spot Riku. His eyes were half lidded and he rubbed them wearily.

"Sora," he muttered, taking in a deep breath, "what the hell?"

Was he making noise? Last he checked he was only sitting here.

"What's wrong? And why aren't you asleep in the living room, Riku?"

"I'm hungry, so I woke up. But Naminé is asleep, and I didn't want to wake her up just to fix me something."

"Okay… I repeat, why aren't you asleep in the living room, Riku?"

"What? Can't say what's up to a friend?"

"Not when it's midnight, you can't. Seriously, what's wrong? Did you piss on yourself?"

"No, you idiot." Riku took a seat on the rail. "So, the princess has you sleeping out here, huh? Pretty chilly, don't you think?"

He shrugged as he lay back down with his hands folded behind his head. "It's cool. Better than where I used to sleep. This view is worth it."

"Only for so long until the princess gets caught in a spider web."

"Backwards. More like she'll be the pig that's seconds from getting roasted and I'll have to play the role of Charlotte to save her."

"That's a clever way of putting it."

"Meh, it's the truth."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing. I mean, come on, you're living in the palace now. Any other man would be exhilarated to be in your shoes."

Riches never meant anything to Sora. It was an excuse to spend wealth on pointless artifacts. The last thing he needed was for his life to be controlled by materialistic objects that would only deplete from his common sense. If he had to choose between swimming in a pool full of diamond rocks and priceless earrings or trash mixed with substance found in the market, he'd take the latter simply because he could remain humble. Of course, Sora had been deprived of choices for years now.

There was a big difference between being placed in a certain situation at manual will, or when the situation itself simply called for your arrival. It was hard to be comfortable in a place like this when you know good and well you aren't here for your natural good looks and polished reputation amongst words traded through numerous royal exchanges. Instead, it was more like what he said. He was only there because it was convenient to them.

"Ha ha, I don't see why I should. It's a regular house that's had a healthy origin. Aside from that, it's no different than any other dingy ass house in Radiant Garden."

"That's debatable."

Perhaps, but quite frankly, it was a debate Sora would have preferred to be left in the balance for some other fools to converse. Was this conversation going anywhere, or was Riku just looking for someone to play Dr. Phil with?

"So, don't take this the wrong way, but uh, why the hell are you here again? I'm still lost on that part."

"Like I said, I just wanted to chat."

"Bullshit." What did he take Sora for?

"Okay, okay… I guess you got me. If you want the truth, it's nothing revolutionary or anything."

"Try me."

"It's—I'm feeling a bit… weighed down."

Sora checked his nails. "That explains nothing, young grasshopper," he said sarcastically.

"I was getting to that. I feel like I don't belong here, Sora. I feel like you're the main star and I simply got dragged along to witness you bask in the glory of being the bastard who got lucky. Like, I'm the sidekick with a vague purpose."

Really? Was that what this was about? How disappointing. His entire reasoning was just a pathetic plea for sympathy in an effort to string along the fact that he _mattered. _

"That's dumb. You're obviously here for a reason. If King Hope really wanted you out, I'm pretty sure he'd have kicked you out without any second thoughts."

"So what you're saying is that they're just using me?"

He chuckled. "I think you're more like the backup plan just in case I don't want to behave."

Riku scoffed at Sora's inference, which was probably accurate.

"Don't feel too bad," Sora said, "you and I are pretty much in the same boat. I'm not comfortable being here with a bunch of high and mighty snobs either."

"Yeah, but you seem like you're just going with the flow. I'm wigging out like a dumbass." Because you are, dumbass. "One day, I'm a prisoner with no promising future waiting for me, the next day I meet some dude and end up going to the palace with him. This is all happening kinda fast, don't you think?"

"Meh," Sora deadpanned, "I'm not too concerned about it. As far as I go, I'm just waiting for that opportunistic moment when I can get out of here and find the one who's most important." An image of a smiling Xion entered his mind.

"We're kind of assuming you can even get to that point. All eyes have been on you at the moment."

"The spotlight is on me, sure, but I'm not in control of it. And since I can't conduct the attention I'm getting, I just gotta wait until it dies down." Sora stood up on the rail and dotted his eyes across the magical environment. "Until then, I'm just gonna see what kind of advantages I can gain from here," he smirked. "You should do the same."

"And what about the princess?"

"She can kiss my ass."

Riku laughed. "Dude, have I told you that you're awesome?"

"I'm the awesomest of the awesome. It's world known fact." Sora hopped down from the rail, landing next to Riku. He crouched down to pet the unaware Flame. "Anyway, that's enough pep talk from me. Shouldn't little kids like you be getting to sleep?" Sora asked with a yawn.

"I could say the same for you, dick."

"Then get out of my sleeping chamber."

Riku shook his head as he walked back inside. "At least I'm not sleeping outside like the pet dog. Even Flame has a place to sleep inside. Why she chooses to sleep out here with you is beyond me."

"I don't care. I like it out here anyway."

"You're just trying to look all cool but I know that you wouldn't turn down a toasty fireplace to sleep by right now."

"Are you offering?"

"Pretty sure I'm not in the position to."

"Then this whole conversation has been pointless."

Riku chortled. "I guess so. Sleep tight."

"You too."

As Riku's form slowly disappeared within the open arms of the shadows, Sora dragged his feet back towards the balcony rail. He slumped over it like a rag. His eyes were barely conscious. He only wanted to see Xion, but she seemed so far away. It was as if she were in a whole different dimension.

This week had been ridiculous. At times, life wanted to parallel a turtle, other times out of nowhere it hit like an oncoming hare. He found himself utterly rotten in the line between fast and slow pacing.

He closed his eyes.

While lost in the depth of his unconscious hallucinations, Sora felt an obnoxious splash dripping on his unsuspecting skin. The sudden sensation jolted him out of his blissful daze like a lightning bolt. He shot his eyes open and quickly shook the water out of his hair. He used his index and middle fingers on both hands to rub the blur away from his eyes. Once his vision settled back in, he was able to make out Kairi standing before him all dressed up in a blue gown. An empty bucket was in her hand. He noticed that the sky's expression brightened tremendously. The sun was smiling. How did this happen? Didn't he just close his eyes?

"How strong of a sleeper are you? I've been trying to get you to wake up for fifteen minutes."

Sleeping can be a form of escape. It allows one to run away from their problems by being delightfully unaware of the life that you have come to understand, so quite frankly, Sora didn't _want _to wake up. He didn't want to experience that feeling of sudden awareness with a gush of memories jabbing at him in the head. He didn't want to remember his guilt about Xion. Needless to say, he didn't appreciate waking up to a waterfall.

"What is _so _important that it can't wait until later?"

"It's impolite to swear in front of royalty."

"Is that so? It's too bad that I don't give a _fuck._"

She rolled her eyes. "Keep that attitude up and I'll have you eating dog food for dinner, you filthy vermin." How sweet. "Now stand."

Sora ignored her as he bobbled his head left and right in an attempt to get more of the water out of his hair, making it rain on the pavement below. Kairi clutched his arm and lifted him up as if he were a feather. She had some strength for such a petite figure. Her body was about as impressive as Xion's (meaning, not impressive at all). A collar with spikes grasped Sora's neck. Spikes stuck out of it.

"Whoa, whoa, what the—"

"Quiet. Now that I have this collar locked tight on your neck, I now officially own you. If we're going to do this, then you will have to understand that you are my property. Now go make me some breakfast."

_That _was the big emergency? Oh, stop the presses! Forget about the diseases plaguing the common worker or the terrorist attacks on The Land of The Dragons, for god's sake, this girl needed breakfast.

Sora patted his palm against his ear to shake some of the water out. "Why do I have to do it? Aren't there, like, dozens of servants around here?"

"This is your first act of serving upon my behalf. Besides, I own you. It would only be right if I give you commands like a proper owner should."

"I hate to burst your bubble, actually, no—I'd _love _to burst your bubble by telling you that you don't own me. And last time I checked, I'm only supposed to be protecting you, not serving you."

"True, but to me, you're nothing but a useless dirt stain on the side of a tennis shoe, so it's the same difference." He scowled at her with balled fists. "Quite frankly, your _own person_ plea is only an excuse. You're my bodyguard, and you'll do as I say."

He ripped the collar off of his neck as he tossed it over the balcony. Kairi's jaw dropped. He placed his hands in his pockets. "I feel like I should be offended, but honestly, I find your thought process to be hilarious. Make your own breakfast, Kairi."

"Don't address me by my first name!"

He used his fingers to flick some liquid into her face before walking idly down the hall.

She growled. "Just for that, you can scrub the basement walls with the maid you dirty cunt!"

Such void words that were destined to remain unfulfilled. Walking through these halls was repetitive. At least he was getting used to it. Sora despised not waking up at his own leisure. Quite frankly, it felt rude to have someone else do it for you. Who did she think she was, tossing him around like a rag doll? He wasn't her slave. She better get her own damn breakfast.

As he entered the main lobby, Sora noticed Naminé lugging two buckets downstairs into the basement.

"What are you up to? About to scrub the walls?" he asked as he caught up to her.

She noticed it was only Sora and her expression softened and she nodded. "The princess ordered me to."

"She told me to come help you."

"So does that mean you'll be of some assistance?"

He sheepishly rubbed behind his head. "Actually, I was gonna tell her to screw off, but you look like you could use a hand."

Sora generously took the buckets from her and adjusted his posture as he proceeded downstairs. He offered a polite smile as Naminé followed behind in good spirits. She could get used to having Sora around.

"Is there a mop around here anywhere?" Sora asked.

"Yes, there should be one in that closet. You might have to look around a bit to find it in the back, though."

"Okay, thanks." Sora set the buckets down. He walked into the basement closet with dust particles becoming apparent. He rummaged through all the cleaning supplies and garden tools. In the very back, he found the dusty mop. He made his way back out to Naminé and dipped the mop into the bucket. "I'm gonna start over here."

"Okay." She rolled up her sleeves and the two got to work, scrubbing every corner, every visible spot on the wall free of any filth the basement had to manifest. Dust particles swayed the air, cobwebs crept into the corners, and they avoided the puddles of leftover rain in the dents of the floor.

Sora rubbed the mop against the floor. He figured he might need to get some of that cleaning wash so headed back into the shed and overheard Naminé on the other side of the room.

"Damn it! Stupid glass, it's everywhere in this damn basement. Where the hell does it all come?"

He raised a brow. Since when did the sweet, innocent Naminé speak like that?

"These moronic royalties, always doing something mind gnawing. I don't understand how such incapable authorities could run this town. Now if _I _were only in charge, ho ho, _that'd _be the dream."

She was talking to herself, and she spoke with such arrogance. What happened to the pleasant, reserved Naminé he met before? This was a completely different person. Why would she act one way in front of company and so drastically different when by herself?

Sora had met people like this on the streets. People who would give you a false interpretation of themselves just to gain something from you. Sora never had an easy time picking them out, but they were conversation manipulators. They relied on mind altering to get what they needed. If his calculation was correct, this maid was following the same path. In that case, he had her number.

After moping that side of the room, he started on the next.

"Oh, hello!" Naminé chirped. "That was rather fast."

What a trooper. She changed personalities with the flip of the switch. He didn't know what she was about, but he was not going to be deceived. He had felt funny about her ever since they met, but now he knew his assumptions were right.

"Uh, yeah," he replied. "Lemme give you a hand."

He picked up a sponge and started scrubbing the wall parallel from the one Naminé was working on.

They worked in a comfortable silence until Naminé decided to break the ice. "Mister Yukana, are you familiar with Kepler's three laws of planetary motion?" Sora stopped scrubbing the wall as he darted an eye back to her before continuing. "I've thought about it for some time, and I believe this theory might help you understand the princess better. This law describes the orbit of the sun. The first one is the law of orbits. It states that the planets orbit the sun elliptically. The second law, the law of area, states that a line connecting a planet to the sun covers an equal area over equal periods of time. The third one is the law of periods. It allows us to establish a clear relationship between a planet's orbital period and its distance from the sun. Thanks to this law, we know that a planet is relatively close to the sun, like Venus, has a far briefer orbital period than a distant planet, such as Neptune."

Naminé ceased scrubbing the walls.

"With this in mind, Mister Yukana, which one of those laws do you think best fits the description of the princess?"

It didn't take long for him to find an answer. The planets orbit around the sun elliptically, in that sense, everything revolves around the sun—and that is just the way it is.

"The law of orbits," Sora answered.

"You are correct. The princess likes to think of the rest of us as tiny, irrelevant little planets that gravitate towards her light, orbiting around her physique. But that's not the case. You and I know this. But you must understand, all her life, her highness has had grown men bow before her when she was just a little girl. Those kinds of quandaries can change someone."

She continued scrubbing.

"It can provoke a type of behavior that isn't suitable for the average commoner, such as you and I. We know that the law of periods is how things are supposed to be."

"Everybody should be equal."

"Exactly. Miss Estheim—just," she lets out a breath, "she just doesn't see it that way, and it's not her fault. It shouldn't be so surprising, but yet I still can't figure out what led her to act that way. I've told you before that I have a hunch that some of my previous actions may have been the cause. Of course, I can't ask her for myself, but no matter how good I am at reading people, I still can't tell what's on that girl's mind, and it's so frustrating it makes me want to scream sometimes, Mister Yukana."

Her scrubbing began to scour the brown walls viciously until she lost control of herself and dropped the utility into the bucket below with droplets stroking down her cheek.

"That's why… you're the only one who can help me, Mister Yukana. You're the only one who has ever had the courage to stand up to the princess. No man before you has ever dared badmouth her and quite certainly not in her presence. But you… you truly are amazing."

Sora clenched a fist. "Alright, that's enough."

Naminé gasped and she turned around to see Sora's back. He had ceased scrubbing as well. He turned to her with arched eyebrows.

"Your game's over, Naminé."

Her eyes remained unknowing. "What do you mean?"

He chuckled, but his expression didn't match the gesture positively. "You think I don't know about you're little pretending act? I saw you switch personalities a moment ago. All this time you've been playing mind games on me to see if you can mess with my emotions or something. The way I feel about certain things… it's annoying. You try and act like you're just some innocent, nurturing, and respectful maid who loves serving others. I had my suspicions ever since I first met you a couple days ago."

_"AAH! Who are you?! Why are you here? Get out or I'll call the guards!"_

_Sora didn't seem very scared, and for good reason. He got a gander at her face and noticed her blonde hair, wondrous eyes, and her quivering lips. He stood up while offering a hand. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna bite. I'm the princess's guardian so you don't need to be afraid."_

_Sora noted her confusion. It was almost as if she was looking inside her brain to think of what to do next. She hesitantly took his hand as he helped her up. She took a few strands of her hair and nervously placed them behind her ear._

_"I-I'm sorry for that. I'm sort of a klutz."_

"When you saw my face, you were scared out of your socks, threatening to call the guards. The Naminé I've grown to know wouldn't do that. A quote on quote, quiet and timid girl wouldn't be so reactive. And then that face you made, you looked like you didn't know what the hell you were supposed to do next, so you decided to attempt to fool me with one of your sweet and innocent personas. Come to think of it, you gave yourself away when we were on the balcony and you told me about how you can read people by their actions. I was just too stupid to put the pieces together, but now I see you for who you really are. So if I had to make a guess, I'd say that you're an obsessive puppet master. Tell me if I'm wrong."

She was baffled by Sora's brilliant deduction speech, but he was wrong. "Why, I never! How could you accuse me of such treachery?"

"See? You did it again."

"W-What?"

"You changed personalities. With the way you've established yourself, I wouldn't expect you to get so offensive. The Naminé I know wouldn't say what you just said. I don't know about the other idiots you've probably fooled with your acting ability, but I ain't one of them."

She stood there, frozen in place as if time had courteously halted itself for the maid to digest all of the information Sora fed her. She was awestruck by his intelligence. It was not every day she would come across someone with so little formal education to be so sharp, and most certainly not someone who had the aptitude to outsmart her. How could he have figured out such a inquiry with those small, subtle hints? It was quite amazing, the more it processed through her brain.

After all was said and done, Naminé wiped her bogus tears away. She threw her head back and laughed maniacally. It was as if she had heard the funniest joke of all-time. As she collapsed onto the ground rolling into an air bubble of mirth, Sora stood there pokerfaced, a hand on his hip, patiently waiting for her solemness to balance out her jollity.

Her breath ran away. She ceased her laughing in order to chase it before she got an asthma attack. She caught up to her pants as her breathing slowly inclined with her heartbeat once again. She looked up at Sora; she rose to her feet with a smile on her face.

She took a hold of her bonnet and untied it. As she removed it from her head, her gorgeous blonde hair came spilling out. Every strand had a special indescribable glisten of grace. The tresses of blonde shimmered in the light of the bulb above them. It gave them the little bit of brightness they had in this dingy basement.

Her eyes gazed at him with confidence, half-lidded and her smirk only added to it. This was definitely not the Naminé he had gotten to know for the past week. This was the real Naminé.

"You got me," she finally said. Even her voice had changed. It was deeper than before, giving her that feeling of knowledge beyond her years. "It's amazing really; you're the only person in the world who has found me out. I guess I should give you your props."

He shrugged as he placed his hands behind his head. "Honestly, you should be more careful when talking to yourself. The walls have eyes, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know the phrase. I suppose I let my carelessness be my undoing."

He scoffed. They weren't too different in that regard. "Been there, done that."

She plopped onto a nearby black, worn out futon, followed by a tired breath. As her body sunk into the pillows, dust swept into the air. Her weariness from the constant cleaning was absorbed by the cushions.

"Frankly, it's quite a relief. I've met dozens of people from my time here at the castle. I've met countless servants, hundreds of royalties, but out of all of them, you were the one to figure me out. Congrats, man."

"I know, I'm amazing like that," he grinned. "But um, I'm still a little lost. Like, why are you doing this?" he asked as he sat next to her. She didn't hesitate to sprawl her legs across his thighs, a notion he didn't take too kindly to but decided to let it go.

She twirled some strands of her hair on her finger. "It's like you said, I'm a puppet master. I like to play mind games with people to see if I can toy with their emotions, steer them in whatever direction I want them to drive," she chortled. "Sometimes I do it just for fun. I've made this household pretty chaotic from time to time just because I was bored."

"Sounds totally sketch."

"What can I say? I'm a controlling wench." He knew that already, thank you very much. No need for pointing out the obvious. "I wasn't always this way, though. It was kind of a gradual change, through my experiences with Kairi. She was always number one, you know?"

"Well, she's the princess, what did you expect? And I guess this all revolves around jealousy."

"Well, I was very angry by the fact that she got everything she wanted, two loving parents, adult servants that would trip over their own damn feet every time she requested something. So yeah, I'd take jealousy as an appropriate answer. I guess my jealousy blinded me, not that I care."

"I gotta say this really is something seeing you in your true colors."

"You ought to feel privileged. There's only one other man who's seen me for who I am."

"Who's that?"

She averted her eyes. "Nobody important."

Even now she was still hiding stuff from him. As far as he was concerned, he got her biggest secret out of the way. Everything else should be the equivalent to him sleeping on a pineal gland due to its inferiority to the fact that behind that sweet mask, she's only a conceited and slightly brash young woman.

She stretched her limbs. "I'm tired. I don't even feel like washing these walls down anymore."

"I think we've done enough to make that whore Princess happy."

Naminé chuckled as she allowed her head to rest against the futon's arm rest. "It's nice to have finally found an associate who's _almost _as intelligent and cunning as me hanging around." Gee, thanks. "For goodness sake, you wouldn't believe how many dolts I've come across in my time. I can't even fathom how they got so rich."

"I'm not surprised." Riches didn't matter, it couldn't define individuality. Some of the richest names practically had meshed gum for brains and couldn't think their way out of a freight elevator.

"I still find it incredible how much you were able to pick up about me from those small hints. Tell me, what's your secret?"

Secret? He simply took the jigsaw puzzle pieces that she gave him, whether it had been intentional or not, and placed them to together. "It's not rocket science, girl. I'm just your average, everyday hustler."

"Well _that's_ obviously not the case," she scoffed, "otherwise, I don't think you'd be in this castle."

She had a point. But Sora never thought of himself as anything other than a unfortunate orphan, bound to shady origin by unforeseen revelations. These revelations Sora faced as a kid were the foundation to many epiphanies he came across that not many around his age would have. Come to think of it, what made him so special anyway?

She sat up and fixed her eyes into his until she was deeply located into his visual psyche, alluring herself into his focused orbs.

"There's something about you, Sora. I don't know what it is, but I can say that I'm not surprised that you are destined for greatness." She caressed his cheek her soft hand. "I might even be falling in love with you myself."

He quickly retreated from the futon with a defensive stance.

"Whoa, hold on just a second—"

He stopped once she began giggling. "Relax, I was only kidding." She stood and pinched his cheek. "How could I fall in love with such a bum like you anyway?"

"Cut it out!" he said as he withdrew her hand.

She let out a breath. "We better get back upstairs. Don't want to keep your master waiting, do we?"

Sora laughed. "Master? That's a good one!"

"You say that now…"

Naminé picked up her bonnet and tied it around her hair until she retained her innocent maid look once more. But now, Sora knew what was really under that camouflage. It was impressive that she could fool everybody into thinking she was somebody who she wasn't.

"One more thing, Nam."

"What is it?"

"What's your motive? You can't just be treating people like puppets for your own amusement."

"I don't really have a motive, and I say that quite honestly."

"As if I could trust you."

"Touché, but at least I know I'm telling the truth. I've always been interested in life and the paths you could take. With one fatal decision, life can shove you in totally different directions. I've always liked to test that. I've been playing with these royalty fools ever since I became their maid. But isn't it interesting? To think, that I, sometimes by getting my hands dirty or by simply brainwashing them with my communication techniques, can change their perspective on things entirely."

He had to admit, it was an interesting project to partake in. Persuading someone is hard enough on its own, but to completely change someone's perspective on something by delving yourself into their mentality? That took skill. Naminé, despite being an untrustworthy snake, was not an idiot. She was smart, very resourceful, and probably the only one worth having a conversation with in this castle.

"So, what kind of information were you tryin' to get outta me?"

She smirked. "I wanted to know how you felt about Kairi. I wanted to see if perhaps you had any potential to fall in love."

Sora gagged. "And what were your results?"

She frowned. "As for now, nada. It seems like you don't have an ounce of affection for her."

"I could have told you that."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. A seed is only a seed until it is nurtured into something beautiful, Mister Yukana."

"Sure, whatever you say. Just don't look forward to it."

She smirked. "We'll see."

"Don't you think you're robbing these guys of their free will?"

"No. Hey, it's not my fault that they listen to me. It's not my fault that I'm just that damn good."

He couldn't argue with that.

"We should join forces, Sora. With your deduction skills and my ability to read people, we could _own _these people. You and I could be king and queen, and we'd no longer have to bow down before these obtuse, thick-headed snails. What do you say?"

So that was her motive. He should have known her claim that it was just for amusement was entirely false. As interesting as that sounded, the thought of him being a king didn't feed him anything that satisfied his taste buds.

"I'll pass. You kinda creep me out, to be honest."

The brunet made his way upstairs with one of the buckets in hand. Naminé sighed as she picked up the other bucket, following behind. "Oh well, it was worth a shot. But the offer still stands. Think about it, and perhaps we can sort something out."

"Don't get your hopes up."

Sora used a foot to kick the door open that led to the main lobby open. Sora jumped back a little once he saw the stern face of Kairi with her arms intersected, glaring at him impatiently.

"Uh, what's up, Kai?"

She ignored the fact that he addressed her by her first name once again.

"I was just going into the basement to see if I could find any traces of my slave, and what do you know, here you are."

Naminé bowed before her. "Please Princess, do not be alarmed. We were only finishing up the cleansing of the basement, just as you requested."

Sora resisted the urge to gawk at her in awe. In the matter of milliseconds she was able to revert back into her sweet and innocent personality. Even her voice was back to being gently high-pitched. However, he kept his eyes focused on the princess.

"Hush, you smutty maid! It shouldn't take half an hour. And where's my breakfast, street rat? If you are too dense to realize I wanted that to be done first and foremost, then I feel sorry for you."

He squinted. "Really, I didn't even clean the walls because of you; I did it to help out Naminé. And didn't I tell you to go make it yourself?"

Her eyes widened. "You were serious about that?" she asked as if it were some kind of epiphany.

"You got two legs, two arms, and I'm assuming you have a brain too. If I'm not mistaken, those are the ingredients needed for you to go make your own breakfast."

Her mouth was agape. She thought she had tied the loose ends with him, but he still dared be disobedient to her wishes. "You do realize that if I so desire, I could have you killed right now, right?"

He grinned suspiciously. "Really now?"

Naminé didn't like the look on his face. "Don't do anything rash now, Mister Yukana."

The entrance door was in plain view. Maybe this was his chance. All he needed was a distraction and he was home free.

"Don't worry, Nam, I'm just gonna give the princess here a bath." Sora took the pail, grasping it with his fingers firmly, and tossed it in the princess's direction, drenching her in grimy muck. The two females were awestruck, albeit Kairi a tad bit more furious.

"GUARDS! SEIZE HIM!" Kairi screamed at the top of her lungs.

That was his cue to get to stepping. His eyes locked themselves on the door. He shuffled his legs towards it as if it were the be all end all, ready to make his escape. Before he could even grace the handle with his fingertips, the guards beat him to the punch.

Sora ran the opposite direction.

"Ambush him!" one of the guards ordered.

A flee of guards came from their positions, chasing after Sora with their swords in hand. Naminé set her bucket down while she took a napkin from her back pocket, wiping the princess off quickly.

"I'm so sorry about this, your Majesty!"

"Get your hands off of me!" Kairi yelled as she shoved Naminé. The soaked princess marched her way up to her room with a trail of water following her.

Naminé discarded her innocent personality for a moment as she spoke to herself. "What the hell is he thinking?"

Sora noticed three bodyguards on his tail while running down one of the many long hallways. He figured his speed would allow him to narrowly drift away. That was until he spotted three more bodyguards running towards him from his front end. Sora skidded his feet along the surface, darting his eyes back and forth from the oncoming forces.

He spotted a door behind him and he slipped inside at the very last second, making the guards clash into each other like cartoon characters. He was shamefully relying on slapstick lately.

Sora breathed deeply but noticed the room's familiar interior. He turned around to spot Serah in nothing but a bra and panties reading a novel with widened eyes before she squealed.

"WHAT THE HELL!" She wrapped herself in her comforter.

Sora shielded his eyes away from her half-naked form. "God damn it! Do you _ever _put any clothes on?"

"Maybe if you knocked every now and then!" She threw a pillow out him. "GET OUT BEFORE I RIP YOUR FACE OFF!"

Sora slipped out of her room. He saw the guards still collapsed on the ground, their heads lost in the clouds. Sora took the initiative to quickly speed down the hall before any of them remembered where they were, and especially before Serah literally killed him.

His sprints turned into jogs. The further he went into the castle, the more he noticed that there weren't any other mishaps to subdue him. He stopped once he made it to his balcony, wiping the sweat off of his brow. He spoke too soon, because when he turned around, he found an extra five guards waiting for him. That was it, he was cornered. There wasn't anything he could do.

The guards seized him by the shoulders, dragging him to who knew where.

He could confirm that his luck had without a doubt, ran completely empty. Getting caught by guards twice in the span of a week was certainly not his style.

Maybe he was an idiot. Sorry Xion… you'll just have to wait a little while longer.

Assuming that the princess doesn't kill him.

Literally.

* * *

**I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long to come out, but I was having the WORST case of writer's block ever. **

**I did everything I could think of to get rid of it! I watched movies, anime, TV, played a little bit of 1.5 Remix to get some ideas for the characters, I took walks, but NOTHING WORKED! I was blank on what to do next! **

**But it's finally out, and while I'm not totally satisfied with what I produced (simply because I'm a perfectionist and I'm never truly satisfied with anything anyway), I am happy with what I was able to come up with. Remember when I said that updates may vary because of how indecisive I am? Yeah...that's what happened these past, what has it been, two weeks since I last updated? **

**I want to make this story the best that it can be, so coming up with what to do next is frustrating. I had other ideas that were scrapped. I was going to have Sora pull some pranks on William, the royal vizier. Meh. Then I was gonna have Sora meet up with one of Claire's friends, who would play a relatively important role. I most likely will use this idea later on, but not right now.**

**Namine has always been portrayed as someone who's shy, timid, or just a regular girl. I decided to make her "shy and innocent" personality just a ruse, and make her a conniving, and rather intelligent girl with a dash of an ego trip. I've never seen anybody give her that kind of personality before. I had this idea ever since I first introduced her, which is apparent from the subtle clues I gave out. And yes, that maid Kairi was yelling at back in chapter 2 was Namine. I got the idea to give her that personality from Ami Kawashima from Toradora!. It's the same concept. Ami acts like a regular sweet girl, but she's just a snobby princess in reality who likes to pretend in order to get people to like her. The only difference is that Namine uses people to her advantage and toys with them to see how they'll react to certain things. I thought that would be an interesting twist. Ami kind of did that, but not really. She was more an observer. **

**I should be able to get the next chapter up soon since my boyfriend won't be around to distract me, what with his new job and all. I already know what I'm going to do for the next chap so hopefully I'll be cured of my writer's block for a long time. **

**There's a lack of interactions between Sora and Kairi in this too. My outline for this was simply 'start developing the relationship between Sora and Kairi' and I didn't do that at all. But with what I have in mind for the next chap, that's exactly what should go down. As long as I don't scrap it. **

**So anyway, much love to everybody who's followed, faved, and reviewed for the past chapter. As always, you guys are amazing and I love you! Tell me what you think about this chapter in a lovely little review please! Do you love it, hate it? Tell me what I should improve on and what suggestions you have! I'd really appreciate it if you do! And thanks for taking your time to read my work! **


	8. Fascination

"Let me go! Come on!" The guards jerked Sora's appendages harder. "Hey, watch it! I'm not one of the defenseless thirteen-year-old girls you bring into your rooms every night, you know!"

"Keep that mouth running, kid. It's gonna get you eaten up in the world we live in today. Don't ever forget that."

The brute shoved Sora against the wall of the castle's underground dungeon, wasting no time to lock the boy tight in the chains that awaited him.

"Don't you dare even try to power your way out of this. These shackles stop you from summoning that Keyblade of yours." The guard grasped Sora's shoulder. "And don't you even think about trying to escape, period. If you do, you'll have to deal with me. If that's the case, don't ever forget this face. We'll be spending a lot of time together if you dare try being disobedient, and the princess's punishments run through me."

"I never forget a face, but in your case, I'll gladly make an exception."

He rolled his eyes to the stupid quote. "Wise ass."

The two guards departed. They passed the princess on their way out.

"We got 'im right where you wanted him, your highness."

"Thank you," Kairi said without taking her fiery gaze away from Sora. She garnered a white tank top and pink sweats. Her hair was damp, using a towel to dry it off. Drizzles that rolled down her radiant auburn tresses inferred her as subsequent to a steamy shower. It made sense, after Sora drenched her with that rotten bucket.

She stood before him with her arms crossed.

"Might I say that you look absolutely enchanting today, Miss Estheim?" Sora asked sarcastically.

"Quiet."

The air thickened as their mutual glare clotted time. The graveyard audio was a foreplay to the potential explosion ready to burst between the sparks through their eye contact. Sora tugged his wrists against the chains. Deep down he knew he was swallowing undigested time, but the princess had a way of initiating the engine that fueled his drive. That ambition prompted his desire to rip her hair out of her skull.

"Look, I don't care if you end up locking me in here forever, I don't even care you send me away with bodyguards, but you have to let me see my sister! Just once! She's the only one that matters—"

"I said hush!" she interrupted. "What do you not get? You are nothing! You should feel propitious to look even at someone of my authority, to even be under the same roof, to ask to speak to someone as important as me! I just don't understand why you won't show me any respect! It's been bothering me so much—I can barely sleep at night! I don't get what your problem is!"

"You want to know why? That exact attitude right there. You think you're better than me, don't you?"

"Well, I am a strong believer in divine right."

He chuckled maniacally. "Why am I not surprised? Of course, you would be. In that case, you think I'm not worth shit just because you say so. Well, guess what, Princess? I don't show my respect to people based on their background or their influence. I show my respect for people who know who the hell they are on the inside and have enough sense to show value to others before putting themselves on a pedestal."

"I—I-I don't know what you're babbling about!"

"Of course you don't, because you're a bitch. You say that as if I expect anything more from you, but honestly, you're almost a stereotype of the stereotype I had in my head for you royalties. You make me fucking sick!"

"Cut that language! What is wrong with you? I have never met someone so disrespectful in my entire life! Have you no shame? Does your dishonorable behavior not affect you? Have you no will to live? You have no idea how lucky you are t I don't end your life for all of the slurs you've labeled me, and the insolence you've shown to my family!"

The urge to laugh hit Sora's gut. "Death, huh? As if I'm scared of it."

"What are you, suicidal?"

He chuckled. "Nah, I'm just ready to die. If I'm gonna be stuck with a cunt like you for the rest of my life, then what's the point of living?" Sora allowed warmth surge through his body. "All I care about is my sister… And if I can't see her, or protect her, then maybe… Maybe I'd be better off dead."

Kairi trembled from such a bold reflection. He practically looked dead already with his staggered hair, void eyes, and lack of muse. "W-Why are you saying that? I-I mean, don't speak so lowly of yourself. Surely your sister will be okay without you."

"How would you know? Have you ever been apart from someone you cared so much about?" She remained quiet. He pretended to scoff. "Silly me, I forgot, you're supposed to have a heart to actually care."

She gripped her fingers into a fist. "Well, fine! If you're just going to mope all day like that, then have it your way! I'll have a beheading scheduled for tomorrow afternoon!"

"I'm glad!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Kairi marched her way up the stairs and slammed the door. Wall sprinkles danced on the concrete. Once she had departed, Sora bobbed his head back and laughed.

So that was it; he was going to die tomorrow. Next day, the princess would have his head encased. If he were normal, the thought would have been jarring him, but it was not. His depleted fear of death itself was scarier than the thought of mortality alone. Sora cared little about living anymore. His life was just a big tease, a never ending joke plagued onto his poisoned days.

Wait a second, what was he saying? He was completely giving up on Xion. He didn't even take her into consideration. He didn't take into the contemplation that perhaps she wouldn't want him to die, but his sentence was already sheltered firm by the princess. He was done for, and there probably wasn't much he could do. It wasn't as if Kairi liked him enough (or at all) to the point where she'd spare him. Not after the way he treated her.

In the end, he'd be able to admit that it served her right. It would be about time somebody taught her a lesson or two, not that she ever learned any of those subtle morals in any case. Now all that was left to do was linger until death did him part from this world. By this time tomorrow, he would verify his permanent slumber.

Sorry, Xion.

* * *

"Master Xaldin, I've come to seek your advice."

Once upon a time, Hope was a thirteen-year-old prince who had an instructor. Even as a youth, he hated not knowing how to defend himself, leaving all of the stress and labor for his guards. They continually risked their lives all in a means to keep his life at bay, but Hope felt guilty if he didn't contribute. He was an apprentice of Xaldin, being taught every technique he knew to this day. Hope's heart wasn't strong enough to have the most fortunate title as a Keyblade wielder, but he could still stare adversity in the face without fear if he so chose to.

Xaldin wasn't the best master, nor did he claim to be. He would punish Hope, at times brutally if he did not perform a technique to his liking. In that regard, Hope was forced to stay away from his teacher at all costs, and his furious father banned Xaldin from entering Radiant Garden ever again. Hope wasn't exactly comfortable in the presence of his former master, but he wouldn't deny that Xaldin had an impressive amount of wisdom.

Hope stood before Xaldin in a currently empty dojo. The master had his legs crossed as he sat on a large pillow. Two bulky bodyguards in dark armor on each side of him. His were eyes closed as if he were in the process of meditation. The master dressed in a Judo uniform.

"It's been a while, Hope."

"Yeah," Hope deadpanned, "not that I'm here to catch up over hot chocolate, but I need your help. I need to know what to do in the face of a potential war."

"What makes you assume that I have the answers? I've never been in a position as headmaster of an establishment such as you." Jealousy sprinkled Xaldin's tone.

"I hope you aren't getting worked up over that."

"If only I were that trivial."

Hope went back into the topic before this conversation could take a detour. "Don't play dumb, you have to know what I need to do in order to prevent it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I've known you for a long time, Master Xaldin. You know the psychology of the ordinary man's frame of mind, so don't even try it."

Master Xaldin took a deep breath. He opened his left eye. "It's not what it is in front of the eye patch, but what kind of wonders lie beneath the eye patch is where your answers truly resolve."

Translation: Don't take what you see as reality and never hand over your trust effortlessly. Get to know what's beyond your eyesight before taking something or someone into consideration.

Hope frowned. "That isn't very much help at all. I need to find out how to keep my land safe, so your absurd metaphors aren't very useful."

Xaldin chuckled deeply. "And that is why your heart was never strong enough to wield the Keyblade. No wonder your father was so disappointed in you."

With gritted teeth, Hope unleashed his sword, charging at the master with his grip paralleled his anger. Hope pounced towards Xaldin ready to teach this man a lesson. With the snap of a finger, the two guards tackled Hope to the ground before he could reach him. In a matter of seconds, the king had been replenished of all strength he gained from his spontaneous frustration.

"Such anger… I thought I taught you better than that, but I suppose every student can't be spun from pure gold."

"What is the meaning of this, Xaldin? Why are you acting like this?"

"Because he's with me, now," said another voice.

The guards brought Hope to his feet. The King witnessed a man in a black coat appear before his eyes. He pulled his hood back, revealing himself as Master Xehanort, a devilish smirk traced his lips.

"Who—who are you?" Hope asked.

"I'm not surprised that you don't recognize me. I guess it will all make sense soon enough."

"What are you talking about?"

"Hm, that doesn't matter."

"Xaldin, you're siding with this creep?"

"Xaldin is a man of the darkness now," Xehanort answered on his behalf. "He ultimately realized what benefits can be made out of channeled shadows."

"Master Xaldin…" Hope said quietly. "Is—is that right?" Hope knew that Xaldin was a little rough around the edges, but he had never taken him for a bad guy.

Xaldin didn't retort. He only turned his head from his shameful ex-apprentice. "Light can take us only so far, but the warm security of darkness holds no blind alley. I see that now, now more than ever."

"Lock him up," Xehanort requested to the guards.

* * *

While on his knees defenseless with his wrists restricted tight in chained shackles harbored against the wall of this brooding secret dungeon, Sora felt an odd sensation stirring inside of him. He felt completely emotionless.

His hair slumped over his forehead; sweat slid down his hot, pale skin, and his stomach begged for nurturing. The shackles had some magic that didn't allow him to summon his Keyblade. Not that it would do him any good either way. It wasn't like he knew what he was doing with it.

He wasn't happy, sad, or angry. He felt defeated. It was as if life had decided to play some sick joke on him, and in the depth of his tarnished mind, he found this funny. Hilarious, even. Only way this would be better is if he discovered that Xion died of hunger the next day.

He knew what he did was idiotic, but what's life without rock bottoms now and then? They justify our humanization. Still, his foolishness did not feed his ignorance. On a bad day, his conscience would turn on him. Instead, he could only be in neutral.

If what Kairi said was true, his life was in the balance. That didn't sound like too bad right now. His problems could vanish; nothing left in the ashes of his milestones. The guilt that constantly beleaguered him would abscond into his tombstone, and he wouldn't have to feel the wrath of the princess's haughty tongue.

There he went, thinking too much. His thoughts seemed to betray him a lot lately. He lacked the enlightenment he appeared to get from them like he used to. He couldn't die—not yet. What would Xion think? She wouldn't be able to handle it. Despite death sounding like a refuge, he couldn't go through with it. He had to get out of here. He tugged his arms to try and power his way out of the chains. The rattling links echoed through the hollow quarters.

He used every ounce of strength his muscles had to offer, the vein in his slim bicep popping, but his efforts met a dead end. Sora was no idiot, and he was well aware his efforts were being wasted. He impeded his useless struggle and slumped in defeat.

He heard the door from above clatter until a wretched creak reached his ear. He looked upon the stairs above where he saw light begin to leach in secrecy. The soles of female pumps clamped down the stairs. Before long, Naminé came into Sora's sights. She had a lantern in her right hand and a key in the other.

"Naminé?" Sora asked with the sight of her blurred through his spiky locks. He whipped his hair back to get a good look at the blonde's determination. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing, genius? I'm here to bust you out."

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"It's early in the morning, so what?"

"Aren't you worried you'll wake someone?"

"Yeah, sure, in a humongous castle like this with everybody else in their sleeping quarters, of course I'd be worried," she said with readily identifiable sarcasm.

"I guess you have a point."

"Now hush so that I can get these chains off of you," she said as she places the lantern down, using the key to jangle on his shackles. The keyhole was jammed, making Naminé have to put more effort than she originally intended.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Did you not have any faith that I would come? I'm hurt, Sora."

"I'm serious."

She stopped working for a second to give him a dull glance. "Maybe I just felt like it, ever thought about that?"

"No, because you seem to always have a motive. You're not the type of person to just help somebody out through the sheer kindness of your heart. You're always looking for something that's of profit to you."

She grumbled something under her breath.

Sora smirked. "Or is it that you actually have feelings for me?"

Laughter belted from her gut and exploded without hesitation. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Sora. I'm just looking out for my colleague. I don't care what the princess says, but I can't have you locked up in here like this."

He lifted a brow. "So we're colleagues now?"

"Only until I get you out of here." He didn't follow. "You said you wanted to see your sister, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, I'm letting you out of here to go see her. Heck, I might even come with you. I'm sick of being in this castle with a bunch of pathetic excuses for royalty."

"I didn't realize you cared so much."

"I don't."

Well, which is it woman?! Did you care about him or did you not? Make up your mind!

"For some reason, I feel obligated to help you."

"They don't call me the chosen one for nothing."

"Shut up."

Another clunk sounded from the oval stairs. They looked like high heels. Naminé quickly turn around to find Kairi Estheim with her fists on both sides of her hip. She was clad in one of her dresses for whatever reason. In her hand was some bag.

Naminé switched personalities immediately as she placed the key behind her back, subtly putting it in Sora's pocket. "O-Oh, Miss Estheim! I was just—"

"Leave. Now."

Didn't have to tell Naminé twice. She skedaddled up the stairs; her fingers latched onto the hem of her skirt, forgetting, or rather neglecting the lantern she initially brought down.

Kairi kept a fierce eye on Sora as she walked down further into the dim setting. Every step she took made Sora's heart beat faster. Each step she made bounced against the walls. Its presence was threatening, causing an earsplitting resonance.

She went into one of the darker corners of the dungeon, and soon she was completely engulfed in the shadows. She came back out with a stool. She blew on it to get some of the dust off. She set it down before Sora and sat herself.

The princess with fiery crimson hair dug a hand through her bag until she pulled out what seemed to be a bowl, and after that, a rice maker. She unhinged it by the locks on each side and began filling the bowl with cooked rice.

Sora's words were locked in his head. All he knew was that she had some nerve to come down here just to eat in from of him like this. The worst part was that he was starving. How much of a bitch cunt can you be?

She closed the rice maker.

"Uh—" Sora attempted to sputter.

"Don't speak."

Kairi scooted herself closer to the brunet. She whipped out some chopsticks and tore them apart. He received a scowl.

"This will be the last time I'll ever do this, so you better not get used to it!"

What the hell was she talking about? She wasn't doing anything but confusing him. She dipped the chopsticks into the rice and pulled out a handsome wad of it. She shoved it towards Sora's mouth.

"Here," she only demanded.

He couldn't believe it. Was she feeding him? Kairi, of all people in the world, was giving him something to eat? His alert eyes swooned over her. He was so hungry, yet his reluctance to take a bite churned in his empty stomach. Kairi wanted him dead, did she not?

Sora took a bite. It was surprisingly delicious.

"How is it?" she asked quietly.

"It's really good!" he sputtered through muffed chews. "Did you make this?"

A slight tint of pink emerged on her cheeks. "U-Uh huh…"

Did she cook for him? Her cooking skills were admirable if that were the case. What on earth was she doing allowing the servants to prepare meals for her when she was naturally talented in the art of culinary? In hindsight, she did use a rice maker, but the flavor concocted by proportionally placed seasonings and other guilty privileges had to be her doing.

"Well, you did a good job—thanks." He noticed the heavy bags underneath her eyes. "What's wrong with you, anyway? You look like you didn't get a wink of sleep. Were you up all night thinking about me?"

"As if."

"Then explain why you look like shit."

"My father hasn't returned yet, and I was beginning to worry." Her scowl returned. "And if I requested that you stopped using that foul language in front of me, would you heed me?"

She fed him some more rice. He gulped it down and beamed brightly. "Nope."

She sighed. "Then I suppose it can't be helped."

"It's not like you to give up so easily. Isn't this the part of the script where you yell at me and call me a frog?"

"Frankly, I'm exhausted right now. Pardon my own language, but I don't give a fuck if you curse in my presence right now."

He lifted a brow. "Okay, who are you? What have you done with the princess?"

"Oh, be quiet you," she said as she shoved more rice down his throat. There was the Kairi he knew and loathed. "This is so embarrassing…"

"You don't have to feed me, you know?"

"True, but perhaps if someone hadn't been a belligerent obstinate, you wouldn't be cuffed into this situation."

He rolled his eyes. "Is there any chance that you'll unlock these things?"

"No."

Head drop.

"Not yet, anyway," she redeemed. She offered more rice. "Here…"

Sora took the bite. How bizarre for him to actually be fed by the princess he convinced himself was nothing more than a snob who only looked after herself. It was a pleasant change of a pace, but a rapidly uncomfortable one all at the same time.

"So, what's the deal, anyway? Why the hell are you of all people giving me something to eat?"

"Are you complaining?"

"Not even. But think back to our recent history. Can you really blame me for being a little confused?"

Perhaps not, since she did admittedly spring this on him without much context. "Well, you're my bodyguard. It's my responsibility to keep you well fed—if nothing else."

"Am I supposed to believe that?"

Underestimating his intellect had become a habit. "To be honest, your words from last night had me thinking… And for the life of me, I still can't grasp what you're saying. I don't know why I'm doing this, but I think deep down it's just an excuse to hear more of your insight on things. It fascinates me."

He chuckled. "Okay, that would mean more if I didn't have a death sentence waiting for me."

"Oh, that? I canceled it."

A heap of relief flushed within the boy. The more he thought about death, the less detached he became of it. It was more of a liberation than he would have originally thought.

"You did? Why?"

An inevitable question yet she had hoped he didn't ask. "It would be irresponsible of me to allow my guardian to die so easily."

"Why do I get the feeling there's a bit more to it than that?"

"Believe what you wish."

"I guess we both were acting a little childish back there, huh?"

"I suppose…"

"Well, I'm sorry for dumping that bucket on you. It was immature of me."

He noticed the conflict battling her scrunched expression. She looked sad yet so confused, as if her situation was the most agonizing circumstance.

"Come on," Sora started, "you don't have to be afraid."

She raised a brow. "Afraid of what?"

"It's okay to open yourself sometimes."

"That's not the—"

"My sister always told me that if you keep it bottled up inside like that, nothing good will come out of it."

"I-I—"

She had a loss for words. How could she respond? "Wait a second, who am I to be explaining myself to you?"

Sora shrugged as much as he could with his wrists fastened in restraints. "I never said that you have to, but I'm just saying it's not healthy."

She growled out of anger. "Quit it! I'm so sick of you pretending like you know everything!"

Sora's response was an exhalation. She even rejected his attempts at trying to help her. What more could he do now? Sora decided to keep his mouth shut, his instigation at bay, and enjoy the rest of the meal the princess had so graciously been feeding him.

They stood there in silence. Without Sora pushing any conversations forward, there weren't too many words being traded. Kairi didn't know if this was preferable or all the more discomfited. Once the bowl was free from rice aside from the leftover strays, Kairi set it inside of her bag along with the rice maker.

"Well, uh—thanks again, I guess. I really do appreciate it."

She stopped packing her items, clutching the bag with a fierce grip. She turned back to Sora.

"I need to know—why?" She dropped her sack and turned her entire body towards him. "Why won't you listen to me? Was it something I did or said? It's like, no matter what I do, what I say, or how many times I threaten you… You just brush it off like it's nothing. I don't understand you. You're putting your life at risk every time you disobey me, so why won't you simply do as I say?"

There were superiors and inferiors. Inferiors were supposed to look up to the superiors and grant them happiness, no matter what the request. Superiors were to be treated with respect, not having to worry about an unfaithful subject. Loyalty could not be handed over; it had to be earned. And to win that, one must stomach the policy.

How arcane that a teenager would be the one to look those rules in the face and spit on them. Who was he to do that? It was not his place to be so candid on how things have been for years. These customs had been locked rigidly into the system for generations with no sign of breaking loose.

"Do I need to fucking spell it out for you?" Sora asked, a breath trailing on his speech. "I'm not about to be some puppet for anybody. If you want me to help protect you and this kingdom, fine. I can do that. But you're damn sure I'm gonna be treated like an actual human being with respect. I deserve it just as much as you do."

"If that were so, then why is it that I was born with a silver spoon, while you weren't even born with a dash of copper?"

"Wanna know what I think? I think it was to smack some sense into you."

"And what sense may that be?"

"That you shouldn't think too highly of yourself. Take who you are into consideration and build on that. Don't just assume that you're better than others by using your authority for guidance, it's—it's not cool."

What did he mean by that?! Gah, it was so confusing for the poor princess. She was better than others who weren't royalty, wasn't that how it always was? She figured that she was acting appropriately. She felt that she was making the right choices, but Sora certainly didn't seem to think so.

"I can't tell if I hate you, if I'm fascinated by you, or if you simply confuse me with no ends."

"Hey, I'm a complicated guy," he said with a subtle smirk.

He most certainly was. He was always hitting her with these theories; such odd accusations that made no sense. What was this he spoke of? Equality? Kairi had been subconsciously taught that she was better than the ones who served her. It was their fault for being so susceptible in her presence. If somebody treated her the way Sora was treating now a long time ago, then maybe she wouldn't have ended up this way.

She was being deflated emotionally by his rebellious attitude. Her world had undergone an intergalactic implosion only never to find the answer to his defiance. Her efforts went to squander, left her with no other option but to ask upfront. Even when doing so, she still had no idea why he acted this way. Where was his thought process, his logic, and his comprehension? He seemed like a nut job that was too stubborn to follow a preset path. The funny thing was that in the midst of this never ending confusion for the outlaw gifted with a knack for bending the rules—

She found a spangle of respect for him.

The fact that nobody, for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years had the balls of a definite quality of steel to defy the royalty was an annoyingly admirable trait that he was blessed with. How could something so commendable make her want to rip her hair out at the same time?

"I guess what I'm trying to say is," said Sora, bringing her out of her thoughts, "is that you need to get a taste of reality. Stop living in the clouds so much—it's annoying. Get out of that fantasy world that you live in and wake up. Because the reality is that if you weren't a princess, nobody would give a fuck about you."

That awkward moment when you can't tell if the words said to you were supposed to be harsh or helpful. Kairi couldn't say. But the more she thought about it—he was right. If she were in his shoes, the name Kairi Estheim would not have a meaning. It wouldn't be worth anything.

Before she could respond, the pair heard a loud bump from upstairs. They stiffened.

"What the hell was that?" Sora asked rhetorically.

Boisterous crashes became perceptible. There were no screams, no pleas for help; it sounded more like a free for all. Kairi pointed at him.

"Stay put," she demanded. She sprinted up the stairs before he can reply.

"It's not like I have much of a choice," he said, implying his increasingly bothersome shackles.

Kairi entered the main lobby. Her mother battled against a collective of heartless alongside Merlin. The wizard cast thrilling hexes to fend off the oncoming creatures. Claire only had a sword to protect herself, and it wasn't doing her much good. If she weren't so agile, the Heartless would have had her head by now.

Merlin shielded them with his personal force field, a spell he dubbed reflectaga. Claire turned to Kairi.

"Kairi, get out of here!"

"I can't keep this force field up forever," Merlin grunted, "where on earth is Sora?"

The Keyblade was the only weapon in the castle that had the ability to sweep these Heartless away, and only one person in the castle had access to such a privilege. Kairi scurried back downstairs. Sora lifted his head.

"So, what's going on up there?" he asked.

She ignored his question as she rummaged through her bag for the key that could unlock the shackles chained to his wrists. She fumbled in the sack endlessly until she realized that it was not there.

"It's gone!" she cried.

"Wha—what are you talking about?"

"The key to your shackles, they've vanished!"

Sora recalled Naminé with the keys earlier. She must have stolen them. Damn it, Naminé was going to be the death of him.

But wait a minute; didn't she slip them into his pocket earlier?

Kairi gasped as the sound communal footsteps came from the stairs. "Oh no, the Heartless are coming!"

"Heartless?!"

"Did I stutter?!"

"Quick, go into my pocket!"

Flinching from the potential suggestiveness of that demand, Kairi did as told and dug into Sora's pouch until her fingers dangle a jingling key. She pulled it out, giving Sora a stern look.

"And why is this in there?"

"I'll explain later, just hurry up!"

Kairi began working with the keyhole, trying to get it in the right position to unlock it. From above, Sora noticed the silhouette of one of the Shadow heartless. It's antenna squirmed.

Kairi eventually got the first shackle to disengage. "Got it!"

She hastily worked on the second one. The temperature of Sora's anxiousness rose. It wasn't long before the second manacle unlocked, releasing Sora's wrist. Just in the nick of time, as the heartless crept closer to the bottom.

"Kairi, hide!"

The princess concealed herself in a dark corner that would leave her numb from any of those creatures' sights. The Heartless came running down the stairs looking for any indication of the auburn-haired princess that had scampered into this area. No sign of her, but what they did see aroused their interest. It was a boy without a trace of fear on his visage.

The Heartless sprawled to him, ready to appease their needs. Sora summoned his Kingdom Key Keyblade and got into his stance.

"Dark creatures around me… My brain is going in a rollercoaster of angst… And I'm officially replacing the 'L' in my luck with an 'F'. But if you guys are tryin' to come at me and get all crazy on me then it is on like a fat ass Donkey Kong! You wanna get nuts, come on! LET'S GET NUTS!"

Kairi rolled her eyes.

Sora swatted the Heartless crudely, awkwardly striking at them. His lack of stable balance caused him to trip nearly over himself. "Ugh, I suck…"

One of them had tracked Kairi by listening to her heavy breathing, and it skulked up to her silently. She noticed at the last second as the heartless lifted its claw. She screamed and protected her head by covering it with her arms, but then heard a deafening slash. She looked up to see Sora holding out his hand.

He paced towards Kairi and outstretched his hand. "You okay?"

She took his hand as he lifted her to her feet. "Of course I am."

The heartless surrounded them caught their attention. Sora got into his stance as stood by Kairi protectively. "Back off!"

Thunderous rumbles came piercing from above. The two share a quick glance before simultaneously scurrying up the stairs to find the source of the ruckus.

As they entered the main entrance, they come across an impressive herd of Shadows, practically painting the floor black. Claire and Merlin did their best at defending themselves, but the Shadows were far too relentless. Riku and Serah were back to back from above on the second floor, the heartless marching up to them on both sets of stairs. They were tossing down buckets on the threatening fleets in hope that it would slow them down, but it only did mild damage.

Sora rushed to the scene dodge rolling through the overcrowded masses of darkness, working his way closer towards the queen and her grandfather. He made it center stage with his Keyblade ready in hand.

"I-I-I fear that the heartless are growing stronger!" Merlin said as he cast a fire spell. "Fighting will prove useless, and we may have to depart."

"No way!" Claire rejected.

Sora desperately searched his brain for some answer. He needed to come up with something fast. None of them were capable of taking these heartless out. Claire didn't have a suitable weapon, Merlin's magic was running on empty, Riku, Serah, and Kairi were… useless, and he pretty much sucked at using the Keyblade.

In situations like these, it was better to use brains rather than brawn. Only one other person in this castle could help him out in that regard.

Sora sprinted away, causing a good portion of the heartless to chase after him.

"Where are you going?" Claire yelled.

Sora didn't hear her. He proceeded to the place where he knew his blond colleague should have been. He found a window in the middle of the hallway he was looking for and opened it, jumping out right before the heartless could reach him. The creatures were about to follow the suit, but Flame ended up making it to the window before they could, getting into a defensive stance. She roared at them impatiently.

Sora landed in the backyard garden but lost his balance and ended up rolling on the ground until he caught his stability. His sight fell on Naminé sprawled on the soil, the Shadows ready for the kill. Sora made it just in time as he unleashed some basic combos the impending adversaries.

He helped Naminé to her feet.

"Ugh, I guess this is why you're the chosen one…"

"Naminé, we gotta put a stop to this. Let's put our heads together."

She crossed her arms triumphantly. "So you come crawling to me for answers, huh? Why am I not surprised?" He decided to let that go as she pondered. "My first instinct is to give you to them as a sacrifice—"

"That's a horrible idea!" he cut off.

"Relax. If Plan A doesn't work, there's still twenty-five more letters in the alphabet."

"Naminé!"

"Okay, okay. They're creatures that are born out of darkness, right?" Naminé inquired. Sora nodded. "All we have to do is find something that can counteract that darkness. But what could accomplish something like that?"

Sora's eyes widened. "That's it! A counteract to the darkness! The opposite of darkness is…" he trailed, expecting her to finish his sentence.

"…Light?"

"Exactly! We hose some light on them, and we're set! The heartless should lessen immediately!"

"I'd say that was a genius plan if it weren't five thirty in the morning with the sun not even rising yet." She presented the dim sky to him.

"We don't need sunlight when we've got a chandelier! Come on!"

"Wait, Sora—" she put her hand out, but he already ran back inside. She groaned and followed behind.

The heartless had spread throughout the castle. Sora had to take them down as quickly as he could as he and Naminé ducked and dove their way back into the main foyer. At their arrival, they noticed it didn't look much better.

Riku and Serah were completely surrounded. Then came the hysterical commands blurting from Merlin. He had done whatever he could to keep them surviving. The smell of anguish crammed the air. Sora eyed the chandelier. Without the sun seeping through the windows, it didn't have much brightness to offer.

"Great plan, Sora—how the hell are we supposed to use the chandelier when we don't even have something that can cast light on it?"

His eyes fell onto his Keyblade, the sight of its modesty almost breathtaking. Sora only took it for a weapon before, but now, it was as if the blade was speaking to him personally.

"Maybe we do."

Sora grasped the Keyblade's handle with both hands, directing it towards the chandelier. He focused on his heart, the willpower to succeed, and his determination to keep this castle safe.

A stream of light peeked out of the tip of the Keyblade until it burst out into a full string. The light entered the chandelier, causing the glow to bounce against the glass. The shards illuminated the room brilliantly.

Kairi ceased running. She noticed the heartless had grown slower, weaker, and quite a few had even begun deteriorating. They were all completely useless now that the room was cast in pure light. Claire wasted no time in taking advantage of the vulnerable foes as she used her sword, thrusting it into their bodies, killing them instantly.

Merlin cast a magnetic spell. The remaining Heartless were attached to a magnificent orb. The wizard darted his wand towards the grouped heartless and blasted them with an electric discharge. Sora allowed his Keyblade to hang loose, looking quite proud at the empty foyer.

The other five regrouped with Merlin and Claire down in the center.

"Good job, Sora," Claire encouraged, "that was some nice quick thinking there."

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, you know…"

"What now?" Serah asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Hope still hasn't returned," Claire answered. "He left for the Sabre Mountains to seek the advice of an old master of his. He should have been back by now, however. He's been gone for hours."

"Father hasn't returned?"

"Don't worry, Kairi. I don't have much of a choice, but I'm going after him."

"Why?" Kairi pointed at Sora. "Why not just send him? It's not like he's worth anything!"

"Hey!" And alas, Kairi had returned to her old ways. Seriously, did his lectures mean nothing to her? Or was she just keeping up with appearances? After all, they were around a lot more people now, and she most likely did not want to give them the wrong impression.

Claire looked at him intently. "Actually, Sora—would you mind accompanying me?"

"Me? Not Merlin?"

"You're the Keyblade wielder, aren't you? I need Grandfather to stay behind and keep an alert eye for the castle. Besides, with your cheeky mind, I'm sure we'll pull through."

That still didn't take away the fact that Merlin was clearly more skilled than he was, but if that was what she wished…

"I'll hold down the fort until your return," Merlin said.

"I'm flattered that you guys think I'm up for the task, but I don't really think I'm ready."

"Think of this as an excuse to get you some more practice. I'll call in a carriage for us. We have some work to do." She walked. "I'll be right back."

Riku slapped Sora on the back. "Way to go, dude!"

Sora didn't see what the big deal was. He figured that what he accomplished should have been inevitable common sense. Serah gave Sora a big hug.

"Yeah, you were totally awesome!" She pinched him on the cheek. "Little Sowa all gwown up!" she cooed.

"Uh, yeah… and can you not with the weird voice?"

Sora caught a glimpse of Kairi's gaze attached to him and Serah. She noticed his curious eyes and quickly dashed her head away in disapproval. What was that all about?

Serah released Sora.

"You seem to be doing rather well with that Keyblade, Sora," Merlin complimented.

"I am?" He figured he still pretty much sucked. He had no grace to his fighting style, and he was still ignorant of its possibilities.

"I mean, of course, it's still a little rough around the edges, but for someone who's self-taught, not bad. Not many self-taught Keyblade wielders could do half of what you just did."

"That's great, I guess."

"But what you really need is some proper training. Tell me, lad, would you like to know how to channel magic?"

Excitement hit Sora in the face. "Would I?"

Claire made her way into the basement. She removed her glove and pressed her hand against one of the bricks. It lit up with her touch. The wall revealed a secret door. Claire strode inside, reintroducing herself to the familiar room. It was empty aside from one significant detail. There was a capsule lying horizontally. Inside it was something, she promised herself that she wouldn't use until the time called for its return. The time was now.

In that capsule, rested her Keyblade.

"It's been a long time."

* * *

**I spent hours trying to perfect this chapter. **

**Some advice for any of you writers out there, just know that revising and editing really is the most crucial part of your story. It's actually where most of the writing takes place as far as sentence structure, word choice, and grammar goes. When I first started writing on this site on my other pen name dontjudgeabookbyitscover15, I was so focused on getting reviews, favs, and follows that I would rush all of my projects and then become disappointed when I wouldn't get too much of a reaction (as in, no reviews or little additional support), but I learned to focus more on the quality of what I'm putting out, which is more important than the statistics. **

**It's an amateur mistake I think a lot of us make when we first start out. We become obsessed with reviews and follows, and that's okay, as long as we don't get too obsessed and end up forgetting to make our project an actually compelling story. I really hope that this story is compelling since I've been handling it with such delicate care and it's been getting such a large portion of my attention recently. But when you write, do it for the love! Not for the statistics! **

**I really like how this chap came out for the most part. It progresses Sora and Kairi's relationship a little bit and it sets up the next chapter. The only thing I'd change would be the constant running Sora does in the ending action scene. Maybe I should have placed Namine already in the main entrance instead of having him sprint all over the place, but I think it's okay. I hope this turned out okay for you all.**

**Be sure to leave me a review guys! It really is a big motivator to keep writing and get things out faster!**

**Op, almost forgot! I said I'd do a shoutout if I got to thirty in any category. I currently have 28 favs and 34 followers with only eight chapters in! That's really awesome you guys, seriously! Wish me luck, for I'm trying to make it into the three digit spot in those categories! A feat I've yet to accomplish! **

**So, big, BIG thanks to: **

**AniManga Gamer**

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**DarkStoo**

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**Lightning Shock (Big thanks to you for being one of the few to actually give me constructive criticism)**

**Smuthermuffin**

**addic. wrath**

**krazywolve**

**lordibau **

**supernoob257**

**ydshahdid**

**If I forgot your name, doubled it, or misspelled it, let me know and I'll patch it right on up. **

**I do this shoutout thingy only because I feel like it's the very least I can do for people who so graciously take time out of their day to read my thoughts and ideas. I know it isn't much, but it's something, right? Maybe? **

**That about does it for me. Should I cut short on these AN's? I don't plan to make them this long originally but I end up rambling my ass off, lol. **

**Take care and much love to you all! **


	9. Sabre Mountains

Sora lay solemn on the floor of a wooden stagecoach, his leg kicked out as his fingers laced behind his head. His brain nerves buzzed with colliding thoughts.

His eyes seared as the sun snuck peaks at him through one of the cracks in the wagon's ceiling. The dated wood's scent entered his nostrils. Claire sat on a nearby bench connected to the wall, gaping at her beautiful Keyblade. She hadn't used it in years. After she had been declared the queen of Radiant Garden, she put her Keyblade in storage so that it wouldn't soak her in those harsh memories, prompting her into returning to the bitter woman she grew to be.

But now with her eyes attached, its shine smiling at her, she almost felt guilty for neglecting it. She had hailed her Keyblade, True Light's Flight.

Sora noticed her ogling at her Keyblade as if she had a crush on it, and decided to pierce into her thoughts. "You seem awfully in love with your Keyblade."

She looked up. "Can you blame me? I haven't laid my eyes on it in ages. It's like a child that I've mistreated for so long has finally returned to my arms, but it doesn't hold any grudge. It's the same way it was when I left it."

"Why'd you store it down there anyway?"

"Long story short, I thought it would bring back unwanted memories from my past. I thought it might—I thought it might turn me back into someone I'm not. Looks like all it's given me is hope."

Sora's face remained blank until he chortled obnoxiously. "Oh, I get it! It gives you hope, and we're on our way to find your husband, whose name is Hope!"

He looked up and noticed her half lidded eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Sorry, bad timing…"

Claire sighed as she placed her Keyblade to the side. "Well, what about you? Have you been getting used to the castle lately?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's been great," he lied. There was nothing great about being locked up against your will in the castle for not doing anything morally wrong, but he kept that to himself. So he drenched the princess a little, big deal.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, the people in your castle aren't so bad. Your husband's a great guy, Merlin, the servants… Serah's a little iffy but she's okay, I guess."

Claire chuckled. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

A gulp of air escaped him. "And Kairi…" Her mere name brought fatigue to him.

"How are things between you two?"

His eyes wouldn't leave the ceiling, the small cracks that dissected the ceiling became unintentionally interesting and he lost himself in his puzzling judgment. That was a better question than she may have realized, and it was one he had been running away from. His terminology grew anesthetized whenever the topic of him and Kairi's status struck the air—if you could even attach a label to their status in the first place.

The contemplation that he may still hate her felt embellished. Hate was such a strong, powerful word. Maybe hate wasn't exactly accurate. More like he had a sturdy distaste for the princess. Getting some time away from her was a breath of fresh air. He was glad to have been able to come along with Claire to go rescue Hope just to be able to not have her act as his shadow.

But hate? Was that appropriate? He wasn't sure.

"I don't know…" he finally answered.

His answer was no surprise. "I know my daughter can be very—rough, sometimes. But you must understand she wasn't always like that. I know somewhere deep inside she's still the girl I remember her to be."

Sora sat up and turned to her. "What was Kairi like when she was a kid?"

"The sweetest thing you could ever imagine!" She went uncharacteristically bubbly. "She was so well-mannered, polite, and there wasn't an angry bone in her body."

She sounded like she was a complete inverse of of everything she was today. She ought to be ashamed for being such a horrible contrary of her past, promising self. "Do you know how she ended up like that? You know—the way she is now."

Claire dimmed. "I'm not sure. I think it may have been the fact that everyone had treated her with such respect at such a young age. I always guessed she grew accustom to it, making her believe that she was entitled to the worship of others."

That wasn't a good excuse. King Hope grew up swimming in diamonds and he turned out fine. "I get that, but is there any specific moment in time when you truly realized that your daughter had changed?"

"I'm not sure. It's rare that anyone can change completely over night." Claire skimmed into her memory archive to see if she could pinpoint anything that could help them discover what could have turned the princess into such a cold young woman, hollow of compassion. "Wait a minute, I remember. It was when Kairi was fourteen years old. We had brought in a suitor for Kairi to marry."

"An arranged marriage?" Did that have something to do with her attitude?

"Yes. Hope and I were set to travel the world in search of a gateway to the door to light. There were rumors left and right about it, and it intrigued us mutually. We figured an arranged marriage with a trustworthy prince would guarantee her safety as we set forth on our journey." She chuckled. "I still remember his name, Roxas Hikari. He was a prince, son to Squall Leonhart and his wife, Rinoa. Oh boy, Kairi sure was in love with that boy. You could see it in her eyes."

Kairi—in love? The concept made Sora nearly burst out in hilarity. He couldn't even imagine such a stone-faced princess to be in love with someone.

"He was a nice boy, too. Strong, responsible, handsome… he was the perfect man to take care of our daughter. Kairi just wouldn't stop talking about him. Roxas this, Roxas that. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a tad annoying. But still, seeing my daughter so happy was a sight to see, and it made it all worth it. It was the last time I saw her smile. You know—a real smile. She wears it radiantly. You won't see her smiling like that anymore."

Really? He hadn't noticed.

"It was about a week before the day of the wedding—and Roxas, he just—disappeared."

Sora raised a brow. "What do you mean, disappeared?"

"He left us a note saying that he could not go through with the wedding because he did not want to marry someone he didn't love, and it would have been wrong for him to lead our daughter on like that, regardless of what his parents said. Kairi was devastated. She cried for hours and wouldn't leave her room for days, and even the days when she did come out—she wouldn't be out for long and it wasn't like she was pleasurable company."

This was starting to sound like a bad soap opera.

"It took me a while to power through the brick of denial but I realized my daughter had changed. She was kind to no one, always complaining, whining about everything. Her self-absorbed nature had been fully exhibited. She and Naminé didn't even spend time together like they used to. It was terrible. I like to believe that along the road, she's gotten over her troubles with Roxas. I think the personality that boy gave her with his betrayal is what stuck with her, and not the thought Roxas himself. Now she probably doesn't even remember who she is, or even wants to."

Sora felt guilty for not being sympathetic. He blamed the princess for not giving him a proper reason to be. On a different side of the same coin, he wanted to know more about this Roxas. The prince leaving randomly aroused his curiosity. Roxas didn't return Kairi's feelings—Sora got that—but he had the feeling it dug a little deeper than that… a piece of the puzzle felt missing.

"Sora, try not to be so hard on Kairi. Once you get to know her, she isn't so bad."

Of course she wasn't that bad. She would never deliberately lock him inside a dungeon for hours.

"With this in mind now, what would you say your relationship with my daughter is?"

Was that weak sob story supposed to make him push his empathy towards her direction? Maybe if he heard all of the juicy details that seemed to be swept under rug but he still felt like he was left in the dark about some things.

"There isn't much of a relationship to tell you about. Sorry."

She smirked. "I doubt that."

Before he could protest, the two felt the carriage came to a stop. The servant that had been riding the horses, leading them to their destination walked inside the wagon through the light pink translucent curtains. "Your Majesty, we have arrived."

Sora and Claire exited the carriage to have their eyes greeted by a field of grass. The horizon showcased a huge group of mountains that all clashed together like one big family. In the far distance, there was a small house.

"Is that where the King is?" Sora asked.

"That's the place."

"I would have expected more of an evil fortress rather than an innocent household."

"Throw up words too soon and you'll end up eating them later."

"Gross."

She laughed as her servant tapped her on the shoulder. "Miss Estheim, should I escort you and the chosen one across the mountains?" he offered.

"Thank you for your suggestion, but it will not be needed. I think Sora and I will be able to handle ourselves just fine."

The servant bowed to her as he hopped back onto the driver's platform. Claire turned to Sora. "You ready?" He nods. "Let's do this."

Claire sprinted towards the mountains. Sora was caught by surprise at her velocity, but he shook it off as he did his best to keep up. They entered the fray of mountains. The scenery shifted drastically. They no longer had a clear view of the sun, surrounded by heavy oxygen, sand, with the pine trees doing a good job at keeping them shaded. A relaxed breeze brushed through the atmosphere, carrying the musky smell of dirt and sand. It made Sora wrinkle his nose more than once.

Claire's running form began to get a little hazy from Sora's point of view. Her feet were pecking at the ground so hastily that he could hardly see them hit the ground. Sora liked to think of himself as a pretty fast sprinter, but racing against the queen would be a definite no-no.

They continued running for as long as they could until Claire deemed it appropriate to stop. Without the sun to guide them, they'd certainly get lost if they continued dashing aimlessly.

"I didn't know you had such quick feet," Sora said breathlessly, hunched over on his knees.

"Mm, you had to be fast when you were a warrior like I used to be."

Sora stood up straight. "You were a warrior?"

Claire led the way deeper inside. "It was a long time ago. Let's not fancy me over something as small as that, though."

He almost looked offended. "Wasn't gonna. Don't confuse me with your ass kissing servants."

She scoffed in good humor. "Believe me, kid, I'd never mistake you for them."

The pair stopped once they came across a man ensnared under a pile of rubble. "Help! Help me!" his frail voice called out.

"He's trapped!" Just as Sora was about to run to go save him, Claire snatched his arm before he could leave her range.

"We can't trust anyone outside of Radiant Garden. We came for Xaldin only. Getting sidetracked is just a waste of time."

"So we're supposed to walk past and act like he's invisible when he could die?"

"Sora, it's not like that—I'm telling you, we can't just lend our trust to anybody and—"

Sora pointed at the victim. "Look at him! Does he look like he's in any position to betray anyone?"

Claire noticed that the person stuck was an old man. Looks could be deceiving, but she knew someone as young as Sora wouldn't understand that. She let his arm go. "Very well."

Sora dashed off to go save the elderly man. The closer he got, the more he was able to get a better idea of the aged man's appearance. His head was shaved. His skin was worn out and furrowed. He was trapped in an entrance to a mine with the top utility off its hinges, threatening to plop on the old man completely and crush his arthritis induced bones.

"Please… help…" the old man said with a limited breath.

"Don't worry." Sora laced his fingers on the metal bar and attempted to haul it up, but he only got it up about two inches. The bar refused to cooperate, and Sora almost dropped it right back on the sufferer with his moist palms. He turned to Claire. "You know, a little help might be appreciated!"

Claire blew her bangs out of her eye, sighing. "What a weakling." She walked up next to him and placed her hands under it as she lifted as well, contributing with Sora to a common strength. "You just have to put your back into it."

The two successfully lifted it to the point where the old man could crawl out. They dropped it immediately. Claire began dusting her hands.

"Boy, who knew that my daughter's protector could be such a little pipsqueak." Her smirk never left her face. She noticed Sora giving her a dull gaze.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No Sora, I'm clearly congratulating you on your impressive bout as a muscle bound, independent, Keyblade Master."

Sora waited to find a response. "I think you're making fun of me."

Claire groaned. How could someone so smart be so dense? The two noticed the old man straining to his feet, his back almost giving in. Sora helped him ease a bit better by aiding him.

"Whoa, take it easy," he said.

"Th-Thank you, young man. You're a fine lad, indeed."

Sora chuckled nervously. That was such a typical "old man" thing to say. It wasn't like his expectations were lingering on the top of any mount for such a frail—and uncomfortably—half naked body. This man's body was clad in nothing but a white cloth to cover his flabby manhood. Wearing pants should have been a part of the world's constitution.

Sora rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "No prob. No need to thank me, just thank the heavens that I ended up coming here or else," he pointed to Claire, "snooty McDoo Doo Panties would have passed you by without any second thoughts."

Claire put him into a choke hold. "What'd you call me?!"

The old man laughed. "Such gusto of the young people! Oh, I miss those days, yes I do. If only I could relive those solemn times, just one time." His eyes hit Claire suggestively. "Maybe I would have been able to sweep you off your feet, pretty lady."

Claire had just been hit on by an old man.

Allow her to repeat that.

Claire had just been hit on by an old, wrinkly ass man, whose gums were black, had teeth that had probably deteriorated into nothing but yellow rot, and probably crapped himself on the daily basis. Disgusting. She puffed disapprovingly while she crossed her arms.

"Anyway," Sora said, trying to relieve the awkward ambiance, "how'd you get trapped under that pile? And what's this mine doing here?"

"Ah, a very good question. I've been stuck under that rubble since last night after a storm hit. It was so sudden, but I remember getting caught under that sleet. It's pretty old, so I guess it gave out. I am a worker of the Sabre Confidents. At least, I was—a really long time ago."

"How long are we talking? Like six hundred years?" Claire insulted.

"Feisty! Meow!"

She felt like throwing up.

"More like forty years. The Sabre Confidents were a group of workers who kept the mountains safe and secure. It was a relatively healthy environment. We would clean up any problems, fight off invading forces, and do whatever it took to survive. We also provided the needs for our ruler, Dilan Lancer. Unfortunately, he died many years ago in a battle effort. His son, Xaldin, now takes his place. Xaldin seemed like a promising leader when he first received the position, but after the years went by, he changed. It was so bad, that all of the other Confidents either died or left this place to find anew. I'm the very last of them, trying my best to keep the mountains in balance."

"Okay…" Sora said, "but that still doesn't explain the mine."

"This mine is actually a secret entryway to the dojo where Xaldin is located. My guess is that you two are here to visit him, am I correct? How about I show you the way?"

"You'd do that? Thanks!"

"Sora!" Claire said, yanking him to the side. "We helped him. He's not going to get his bones crushed, but we still can't trust him. After all, he works for the man that's probably done something to my Hope."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Get a grip, Claire." She wasn't sure if she appreciated him addressing her by her first name. "Has he really given us a reason not to trust him?"

"I suppose not."

"I mean, look at him—he's harmless."

The two peeked a look at the old man digging in his nose shamelessly, getting his finger tucked deep in his nostrils. He pulled his finger out with a big green glob located on the tip. He tasted it with his tongue.

Claire covered her pink lips to halt the vomit. Sora winced. "He's pretty gross too," he admitted, "but he's our best chance at getting to Hope faster."

She sighed. "I guess so."

Sora made his way up to the old man. "Lead the way."

"Splendid!" He put his hand out. Yeah, that hand. "My name is Kuame Hayase."

Sora looked at the hand with disgust and simply patted Kuame on the back. "Nice to meet you, Kunasse."

"I said Kuame."

"Sure thing, Kosago."

Carving on tree bark had some sort of slackening effect on Kairi's mental gauntlet.

She sat out on the balcony before the backyard garden while carving her tree bark into a star, giving it a vacant stare. To say that she was bored was quite the understatement. Going out on a mission with Sora and her mother to go find her father didn't sound like too bad of an idea right about now. She wanted to go, but she knew mother would reject that offer either way.

She sighed as she continued sculpting with her switchblade. Kairi always had a fascination with stars, finding them to be quite beautiful back when she was a little girl. Her love for the shape of stars had even transcended into her cold personality. Yet, this was tiresome. She lay back on the rail, her eyes fastened to the sky. She placed her carved star in front of her viewpoint of the sun to shade herself.

"What are you up to?"

The sudden voice nearly made Kairi tumble off of the rail and fall straight back onto the garden, if it weren't for a pair of strong hands to wrap around her back in the nick of time. When did Sora get here?

Wait a minute. This was not Sora. She looked up to find Riku gazing into her azure eyes, his face wearing a worried mask. His silver hair sparkled in the sunlight.

"Whoa there, can't have you dying, can we?"

A tinge of pink faded in on Kairi's cheeks. She never took the time to notice Riku, but he actually cleaned himself nicely. She shook out of her trance and gave him narrowed brows.

"You can let go now."

Now it was Riku's turn to blush as he helped her up to her feet off the rail, planting her firmly on the ground.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "So, why are you here all by yourself?"

She was tempted to request that he ask for permission to speak to someone of her authority, but she decided to let it go just this once. She felt like that would be what Sora would want her to do, and it was the least she could do for him since he was out looking for her father right now.

"I was only daydreaming, waiting for my father's return."

"I'm impressed that you're not bouncing off the walls like any other teenage girl would. It's nice to see that you're not overly dramatic."

She shrugged as she leaned on the rail. "What's the point? That peasant is the chosen one, right? He'll find a way."

"I hope you're right."

It felt surreal to be having a normal conversation with such a lowly peasant, a prisoner to be more specific. She didn't know whether she liked it or hated it, but she did know was that it was extremely uncomfortable. Sora's influence seemed to be creeping on her too fast for comfort.

"Why are you here, anyway?"

"Is it a crime if I just so happen to be passing by and think I might as well be friendly?"

"It may as well be for someone of my excellence. Go frolicking around with my aunt, why don't you?"

"Meanie…"

Kairi turned to look at him, leaning her back against the rail. "Seriously, I don't even know why you're in this castle still. No offense, but you're not exactly relevant around here."

He frowned. "Just because you say _no offense_ doesn't mean no offense will be taken."

"But you see my point, do you not? What role do you play? You are just a nuisance. So what other purpose do you serve here?"

As much as the words hurt, Riku had been contemplating the same thing. He really had no reason to be here. He was lucky to have had Sora as a cellmate that day, or else he wouldn't be here at all. But Sora had already taken action and was contributing to their needs. All Riku did was eat their food and sleep.

"I-I guess you do have a point… but… you know, I kinda wanted to get to know you better."

Kairi's expression awakened. "Me?"

He stood next to her, leaning against the rail as well. "I feel like I haven't really gotten to know you at all this past week and a half. You really pique my curiosity, princess."

This was news to her. Nobody had ever shown her any interest. "You mean that? You're not just kissing my butt?"

"No, I mean, you seem really—mysterious. Like there's something about you. And you're beautiful, so that plays a factor too."

"Okay, you lost me at the end there." She didn't appreciate being lusted after. He waved his hands defensively.

"No—no! It's not like that! I really want to get to know you—for you. Trust me, I'm not just some sleaze bag."

"You're not making a very good first impression."

He sighed, knowing that he was making himself look like a total loser. He took a deep breath and looked at the stubborn princess with his confidence beginning to return. "The bottom line is that I want to form some kind of relationship with you, Miss Estheim. Your father allowed me to stay because I was an associate of Sora's, but it doesn't seem right to be lingering around while not being very important. Maybe I can by getting to know you a little better."

"That's a weird way to put it, don't you think?"

"I guess, but maybe I'm being selfish. Befriending you is about the last thing I have that can make me feel significant again."

She rubbed her chin with a vortex of thoughts. "Speaking of which, you seem to know Sora quite well. What can you tell me about him?"

Riku laughed. "It looks like we've known each other for a while? To be honest with you, I just met him the day after we were sent here."

"Really?" She had mistaken them for childhood best friends.

"Yeah. But I do know a little bit about him. He's pretty smart, if you couldn't already tell, but he's also very sensitive about his sister. He's always wondering if he'll ever see her again."

She didn't say anything. He noticed her blank expression.

"He would really appreciate it if you let him see her, you know. He feels guilty because he feels like he left her without giving her a proper explanation."

Riku became a little alarmed once he saw her face shift through a few different emotions, from turmoil, to paranoia, to uncertainty. It was quite disturbing. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she immediately shivered from his gentle touch, but calmed down once she only saw his familiarity.

"Are you okay?"

Kairi fixed her hair and regained her composure. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. You'll have to excuse me."

Kairi picked up her carved star and dragged herself back to her residence, but a hand grasped her by the wrist.

"Hold on," Riku said, "you don't look so good. Maybe we should go and cheer you up."

She snatched her arm away from him, giving a scowl. "Maybe you should mind your own business!" Kairi ran away before he could have the chance to talk some sense into her.

Riku decided to leave it at that. All he wanted to know was what was it that he said that could have disturbed her so much. He must have tapped into box full of repressed memories to which she clearly did not have a fun time reminiscing.

Still, he found this urge to help her.

Aside from the usual tunnel one would expect from a mine, the area was glittered with light blue and green crystals jumbled together against the walls, mainly located on the ceiling. The crystals themselves lit up the environment into a cobalt flush. They were easy to get lost in with its mesmerizing dazzle. Sora and Claire were attracted to their striking luminosity. Kuame walked a few steps ahead of the two visitors, using his crooked walking stick as a guide.

"This is beautiful," Claire remarked, basking in the mood.

Sora jogged up next to the old man so that he could walk with him side by side. "So, why are these crystals in here anyway?"

"They're the last bit of light left in these mountains. When Xaldin brought darkness upon this area, the last gleams of remaining radiance came sprawling into little chunks of crystals—the ones you are observing now."

"That doesn't make any sense," Sora deadpanned.

"Jeez kid, use some imagination."

Sora rolled his eyes.

"Sora! Behind you!" he heard Claire call out.

Sora's eyes grew excited as his reflexes saved him from being stung by a flying heartless with a sharp stinger. A frenzy of heartless, appropriately called the Rapid Thrusters appeared before Sora and Claire.

"Kunucho, get to safety!" Sora requested as he summoned his Keyblade. Kuame hid behind one of the nearby rocks.

Claire sprung into action, whirling into the air while unleashing her sword—which encircled around her body.

As she tumbled down, she used both of her feet to kick some of the Thrusters out of her way. Once landed, she swiped her sword at the heartless without any sign of fear, killing creatures with few slices.

Sora wasn't doing so hot, mainly using the Keyblade to guard himself from the oncoming speed burst attacks the Thrusters would send his way. He got stung multiple times.

Claire zipped to Sora's side and stretched her arms to protect him. "Stay away!"

She darted her sword towards the creatures to fend them off, but her efforts went to naught. She forcefully grabbed Sora's hand and sprinted off.

"We can't stay here, there's way too many," Claire yelled.

Sora retrieved his hand and turned around. He cupped his hands around his mouth as if to create an improvised megaphone. "Old man! Kosago, where are you?"

They noticed the old man being carried away by a fleet of heartless that had found him, picking him up in a combined effort. Sora turned to the queen.

"Claire, you have to use your Keyblade!"

Her face looked appalled to that suggestion. "N-No way!"

"He's in danger!"

Claire remained unsure. Her biggest fear was turning back into the person she had been so afraid of, but for the sake of saving a life, would it be worth it? Sora rolled his eyes as he sprints off in the direction of the heartless.

"Forget it, I'll do it myself!"

"Sora, wait!"

She gave up once Sora hurried deeper inside of the mine to rescue Kuame. She decided it would be best to just find her own way to the dojo and hopefully she'd run into Sora again. She proceeded down the trail.

The Rapid Thrusters caught sight of Sora on their stalk. They used their stingers to dig into the ceiling. Rubble began to rain on the boy. Sora, being the adroit, quick thinker that he was, found a way to dodge, duck, and jump over the falling rocks—occasionally having to use the Keyblade to swipe them away.

Sora covered his face with his arms and jumped out of the overwhelming downpour. As the rubble cleared, Sora was greeted to an unexpected amount of Rapid Thrusters prepared to do him some damage. Sora was caught off guard and ended up getting stung viciously in midair.

Sora grunted as he plunged down, the thick air dropping him. He plummeted face first onto the ground. He used his hands to help lift his upper body with some exertion. He opened an eye and saw his Keyblade in the short distance. He reached for it but ended up getting interrupted by more Rapid Thrusters.

Their sharp stingers pointed at Sora threateningly. Kuame was seen in the background of his view still being held by the heartless collectively.

"What are you doing, boy? Run away!"

Giving up was not an option for Sora. He wasn't going to give up on anybody—no matter who they were. He had to find out a way to escape this situation. He had about ten seconds to examine his surroundings and find something that would feed him an advantage. The mine was empty aside from the dusty train tracks that led to the dojo. Dirt and rocks filled his standpoint.

That didn't give him much inspiration for ideas. Come on, Sora—think! Think!

He eyed the Keyblade and sighed. If only he could use the Keyblade's power to his advantage. Wait a second—that was it! He reached for his Keyblade. It was engulfed with light and reappeared in Sora's hand. His determination refueled his strength as he powered out of the grasp of the Rapid Thrusters right before they were able to sever his timeline short. He swiped them with the Keyblade using both hands.

He landed on the ground and stuck his Keyblade inside the wall, wrenching the blade inside like an actual key. With the wall crumbling, it caused the ceiling to collapse. With the heartless distracted, Sora launched himself into the air, snatching Kuame from their possession. He placed the old man over his shoulder and sprinted off as the entire mine began to implode on itself.

Sora had to dodge rocks along with hails of rubble just to keep him and the old man breathing. His legs didn't tire easy. Kuame's breath hissed against his ear in dread. That alone was enough to stimulate Sora's willpower. He couldn't let this old man die in vain.

One of the heartless quickly whirled around one of the descending rocks and quickly used its stinger to send a shock wave towards the ceiling, causing a large boulder to fall right atop of Sora. He noticed at the last second and threw Kuame out of the way just in the nick of time.

Sora tried to catch up but he ended up tripping on his foot. He looked up at the boulder with fright embezzled in his orbs. He closed his eyes and waited for his death to come crashing on him.

After having his eyes closed for ten seconds, he noticed that he was still alive. Sora looked up to see Claire keeping the boulder in place in the air, using her Keyblade to keep it afloat. She looked at Sora with slight annoyance.

"We haven't got all day!"

He snapped out of it and crawled out of the way. Claire made a throwing motion with the Keyblade, causing the big rock to whirl in that direction. It crashed into a number of heartless. Her Keyblade turned into some sort of glider and she threw it into the air as if it were a paper airplane. She ran straight ahead while seizing Sora and Kuame by the hand, hopping onto her Keyblade Glider.

The ceiling was beginning to completely cave in. Claire stepped on the front of her blade to kick it into overdrive. She was able to narrowly swirl around the threatening rocks, clutching onto Kuame as much as she could. Sora did his part, using the Keyblade to swipe away any bits of the ceiling coming from behind them. The air nearly suffocated them. The speed was exhilarating.

"I see light!" Claire announced.

Sora turned to see a spark of light in the distance. In a flash, he felt the collision of the dusty road, his sight tattered in darkness. He opened his eyes to find that the mine had completely buckled into nothing but a pile of rocks. After letting out a few held back coughs from the intense action, he attempted to help himself up. His arms trembled and he nearly slipped back to the ground eating dirt, but Claire grabbed him at the last second and helped him reach his feet.

"You okay?" she asked.

Sora staggered for a second but was able to level himself. "I'm good—but I think I've had enough excitement for, oh I dunno, the rest of my life."

She smirked. "I have this feeling that that's not an option for you."

"Yeah, and you're probably right. So, you actually decided to use the Keyblade, huh?"

She stole a glance at its beauty but turned quickly. "I couldn't let you die in there. I had to do something—I was just afraid…"

"Afraid of what? You seem to still be the same old down-to-earth Claire I know. So there was nothing to be worried about."

She brought her Keyblade to her eyes and looked at it monotonously. "Don't let your guard down, Sora. Things aren't always what they seem."

The twosome noticed Kuame struggling. They took a hold of him, lifting him to his feet effortlessly while placing each arm of his over their shoulder in one swift motion.

"You alright?" Sora asked.

"I'm fine, but…" Kuame trailed off when he noticed the destruction of the mine. "I've been travelling through this mine for years…"

Claire's sympathy wore out rather quickly. "No offense, but you can dwell on this later. We really need to get to Master Xaldin."

"Y-You're right… do not worry. It's just up this mountain."

He presented the dojo that sat patiently on top of a heap right before them.

Xaldin, now dressed in a single black leather hooded coat just like Master Xehanort, flipped his idiosyncratic black locks back.

"I have to say, the outfits match my style," Xaldin said half-jokingly. "But now with Radiant Garden's empire destined to fall without their precious king, what move do we make next?"

"Is it not obvious?"

"If it were, I wouldn't be asking."

"We are going to attack Radiant Garden with its defenses weak."

"Why are you so obsessed with Radiant Garden?" Xaldin stroked his chin in curiosity.

"There are some threats I'd like to abolish as soon as possible if I can. The king just so happens to be one of them—his wife is another. She defiled my triumph once and I'll be damned if I allow it to happen a second time."

Xaldin took a seat in a nearby chair. "And what about the boy with the Key? Why not take him out of the picture as well?"

"Oh, Xaldin—such a weak mindset. It is pointless to even try to apprehend him. Have you not ever heard of the legend of the Radiant Garden princess?"

Xaldin didn't respond.

"Long ago, this war that we're partaking in was already predicted by the monks of The Land of the Dragons. They said that the princess shall have a destined protector, but also that the same one chosen to protect the princess will participate in the clash between the seven lights and thirteen darkness's. Don't you see? There is no point in trying to subdue the Keyblade wielder, no matter happens; fate will lead him to the Keyblade war."

"So it's just a big waste of time? I see. But what if the queen just so happens to be another one of the seven remnants of lights?"

Master Xehanort smirked. "Impossible. Her heart is pure, but is veiled with restrained darkness."

"Really, now? Interesting. I never would have guessed."

"And if she does come here, we'll have to take that darkness of hers and put it to good use."

Footsteps clumping against the hardwood floor became evident to their ears. A man in a black coat identical to theirs enters before them with his face shrouded underneath the hood.

"Xemnas, is that you? I thought I told you to go out and recruit more members," Xehanort says sternly.

The man didn't respond. He only summoned two Keyblades, a dark one named Oblivion and a lighter one named Oathkeeper. The two just glare at the mysterious man with furrowed brows.

"Who the hell are you?"

The mystifying presence stormed to Master Xehanort without hesitation and began wailing at him with the two Keyblades. Master Xehanort was able to dodge and deflect every attempt the man made, but it didn't happen without difficulty. The man swung his Keyblade as his body partook into a spinning motion. Xehanort had to bend backwards to avoid it.

Xehanort performed a somersault all the while unleashing his Keyblade. Xaldin didn't hesitate to get into action. He does cringing finger motions before thrusting his palm towards the trespasser, a gush of wind miraculously hitting the man like a barrier.

The figure was able to regain his balance in midair as he twirled against the currents, finding his place in his flick. He landed his foot on the wall before stepping back onto the floor. He clashed his Keyblades together before running towards his opponents.

Xaldin summoned six lances, three in each hand. He spun before using his lances to distribute impressive amounts of wind towards him with full force; all the while Xehanort induced a stroke of lightning within the wind using a magic spell.

The man was able to deflect himself from the blow, not taking a second to slow down. He dashed into the air and targeted Xehanort. He lunged at the Master and performed a quick set of Keyblade strikes. He was able to connect a remarkable amount of them; their Keyblades clanged against each other. He missedhis last attempt—which would have been the most powerful—and is hit with a strong Keyblade thrust.

The man was still able to land on his feet. This guy's agility was admirable. Xaldin caught him off guard and teleported above him, diving down with his lances in tow. The mysterious man was able to read Xaldin's movements and dodged the attack, making Xaldin clash to the floor with an empty result. The cloaked individual masterfully painted a mental image of what Xaldin attempted and imitated him, teleporting above him with his Keyblades, ready to strike. He hit Xaldin with both Keyblades going in opposite directions.

Xaldin tumbled back a few feet but stopped himself in a crouched position. He glared at the man with gritted teeth and used the power of his wind technique to summon his lances once more to return to his possession.

The man noticed he was trapped, surrounded by both adept combatants. They slowly encircled him as if he were prey, ready for slaughter.

"What is your business here?" Xaldin asked, twirling his lances around his body using finger skills.

The man didn't answer and simply tossed the Oathkeeper Keyblade towards Xaldin. The Whirlwind Lancer leapt into the air and tossed one of his lances towards the cloaked man. He dodged with a swift churn into the air. He struck Xaldin with a blizzaga spell.

Xaldin cried as he topples to the floor, caught in a chain of ice.

The man faced Master Xehanort and readied his dual Keyblades. Xehanort grins evilly.

"There's something familiar about you…" he said.

Just as the clash was about to commence…

"Hey!" said the voice of Sora as he sprinted inside. "Sorry to intrude, but hey, I crash parties I'm not invited to."

All eyes hit Sora as his Keyblade popped into his hand.

Master Xehanort leapt into the air over the mysterious figure and tossed his Keyblade at Sora. The brunet leapt out of the way, but the impact that Xehanort's Keyblade made once it attached to the ground entangled Sora's feet in midair. He fell over, letting an "oof" escape his lips.

Xaldin almost chuckled. "This is supposed to be the chosen one? How pathetic. I almost feel sorry for the princess." He broke out of the ice that hindered him.

Sora took a gander at Xaldin and gave him a dull stare.

"Remember when I asked for your opinion? Me neither."

Xaldin drove three lances towards Sora but the boy was able to dodge roll out of the way. "This would go along better if you ceased yourself from talking."

"That was a rude thing to say. Who pissed in your cheerios this morning?"

Claire and Kuame made it inside. She ran over to Sora protectively.

The mysterious figure decided that there was too much interference and created a dark portal before entering inside. The Queen glared at Master Xehanort.

"Where's my husband?!"

His response was a smirk. "Queen Claire, how nice it is to see you again."

She recognized that voice. "You… you're the same one who betrothed the castle that day."

She drew her sword.

"Your Excellency, what is thirty seven minus sixteen?"

Claire ignored the question as she dashed towards Xehanort without warning. She sliced her sword, but missed with the Master being able to swiftly spin around her and use his elbow to connect to her back. She hit the ground painfully.

He leaned down and grabbed her by the head. Sora tried to help her, but was held back by Xaldin.

"I'll tell you what it is!" Xehanort screamed into her ear, a crazed look in his yellow eyes. "It's the age you were when you ruined me!"

As if a shadow was cast over Claire's face, she came into realization. "W-What are you talking about?!" She tried looking at his face with what little movement she had.

He snickered. "Claire, it's been far too long."

She tried struggling to get out of his grasp. "Where is he?! Where is Hope?! Give him back!"

"Oh, you're far too late for that, missy. I've already dismissed him."

"Where. Is. My. Husband?!" she asked through clenched teeth.

"He's taking a dirt nap."

Filled with rage, Claire was able to power out of Xehanort's grasp. He was able to land on his feet but was taken aback by her strength. Her breathing became impaired as she turned to him menacingly. Thirty seven minus sixteen equaled twenty one.

That was the same age when she…

It couldn't be!

"You… you fucking bastard! You fucking piece of shit!" She carelessly tossed her feeble sword to the side. She balled her fingers into a fist. "You've brought me to the edge… you've made me become the one person I swore that I would never become again… why the hell did you come back?"

Master Xehanort summoned his Keyblade, his leer acting as the coal to her sweltering rage. "Consider yourself lucky for me to care enough at all to consider you a threat. There are not many people who can starve me for vengeance like you, Claire."

"I'm not Claire—to you, I'm Lightning!"

She summoned her Keyblade and zipped towards Xehanort. The two sparred Keyblades, their strikes too fast for the naked eye to catch separately.

"Boner alert," Sora said absent-mindedly. He looked up to notice Xaldin caught in the moment and punched him in the gut using his elbow. With Xaldin groaning in pain, Sora sped off to go see if Hope really was somewhere in this dojo.

His eyes set on some stairs and he ran down quickly, Master Xaldin on his trail. Sora whipped out his Keyblade and pointed back at his stalker, trying to blow some kind of magic at him, but the Keyblade remained silent.

"Come on! Work, damn it!" Sora said before he clumsily hit the wall ahead of him. Xaldin smirked at the opportunity and summoned his lances, thrusting them towards Sora. The boy noticed at the last minute and ran out of the way, turning the corner quickly.

He saw a pipe connected to the wall and figured that it contained something that may be useful. He swiped it with the Keyblade, causing a jet of smoke to create a barrier between him and Xaldin. It bought him some time to get some distance away from the Whirlwind Lancer. Deep in his mind, Sora knew that he had to get Xaldin off his trail for a lot longer, but his Keyblade skills weren't exactly admirable. He'd have to use his brain as a weapon.

Sora stopped before he could get too far and tried to analyze his surroundings. He already knew that these pipes held steam; all he had to do is use that to his advantage. Sora punctured holes in every pipe he could find—causing a sauna of smolder to pollute the air. Xaldin caught up with Sora and used his lances to whisk the mist away.

"Why must you hide from me? Come out and fight me like a man!"

"Acting like a dick won't make yours bigger." Sora's voice was the only thing Xaldin heard.

The air grew too thick; even if he whipped it with his lances, the air nearly suffocated him and he ended up falling to his knees gagging.

Sora saw a door in the short distance and busted in shoulder first. He was greeted to a dim lit room, empty of any substance aside from a cell. He saw a body sitting against the wall, his face emotionless with his bangs shrouding his eyes. Droplets of water creased his locks of hair. He assumed it was sweat, since the humid air weighed Sora down tremendously. Perhaps the steam from outside the hallway contributed.

He squinted at the boy who has entered. "Sora?"

"Your Majesty!" Sora immediately used his Keyblade to bust the bars open with one powerful slash. Hope immediately ran up to Sora and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"I can't believe you're actually here! Did anyone come with you?"

"Yeah, the queen is—"

A sweep of air smacked Sora in the face as Hope dashed up the stairs. Sora followed behind.

Master Xehanort blasted energy attacks at Lightning. Globes with traces of dark and orange aimed at Lightning. She narrowly dodged them with corky movements using her abdomen. She lunged into the air with her Keyblade gripped tight in her hands. Her face was etched with anger.

She came crashing down on Xehanort with her Keyblade coming into contact with his. The brunt propelled Xehanort's body against the wall. He grunted in pain as Lightning lifted him by the collar, looking into his soul with the fiery pits of hell aiding her scorn. Sweat cascaded her forehead.

"I should have killed you that day…"

Xehanort laughed maniacally. "You don't have the aptitude to be so cold."

She lifted the Keyblade ready to end Xehanort's life. "Too bad for you—you've unleashed a monster…"

"Claire!"

Lightning turned around to see Sora and Hope enter the room. Her face brightened radiantly for a split second, dimming once again as her eyes returned to Xehanort. She threw him down with as much disrespect as she could muster into her arm.

She ran to Hope and tackled him into a hug. She grazed his hair and kissed him on the lips passionately. He didn't hesitate to return the kiss. She breathed into him as their lips parted, her smile revealing itself from its discard. "I thought they had really killed you for a moment!"

"Come on, have a little more faith in me," he soothed, caressing her silky hair.

Distracted by their reunited love, Hope and Lightning didn't take note of Master Xehanort materializing an energy sphere in his hands. He blasted it towards the couple. Sora stepped in the way and deflected the attack with his own Keyblade.

"Back off!" he cried.

Master Xehanort chuckled. "Well, at least you've gotten better than the last time I saw you use that Keyblade."

Tired of his arrogance, Sora shuffled his feet greatly towards Xehanort. As he was about to attack with a potent blow using his Keyblade, he was knocked back by a force field. He smashed against the ground as his back skidded against the hardwood floor. With pain thriving in his spine area, he looked up to see what happened.

He saw Kuame standing in front of Xehanort with his walking stick in proper position, a static of blue electricity sizzling to a halt.

"Kuame, what the hell!"

Kuame's face showed no emotion. "I am sorry, Sora. But I have to retrieve my honor. And the only way to do it is if I'm able to do something that's substantial to my worth. In that case, bringing you to Master Xaldin as bate was a golden opportunity I couldn't miss. Isn't that right, Xaldin?"

The trio turned around to find a sweaty Xaldin giving them a sneer.

"You fell right into the trap."

"What trap?" Lightning asked.

Xaldin used his wind to sweep Sora, Lightning, and Hope to the side. He showcased his palm to Kuame, a dark matter being transcended towards him in the blink of an eye. Kuame's body began morphing. The wrinkles in his skin creased, and his muscles bloated into something much more firm and impressive. His once old visage turned into a young, even handsome countenance. With devilish orange eyes and long silver escaping his once bald head, Kuame returned to his original self.

"It's nice to have you back," Xaldin said.

"W-Who are you?" Sora's trembling voice asked.

Kuame in his new form ignored Sora for a moment as his clothes molded on his body. He had a black, high-collared leather coat that was grey from the waist down; a black leather pauldron was attached to each shoulder. On his chest was the heartless emblem, and he had black tights that were hidden behind a thigh-length vest and black boots.

He relished in his own triumph and felt his cold personality returning.

"It is I, Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness."

Sora backed up towards Lightning with his Keyblade ready just in case they decided to attack. "I've got a bad feeling about our chances right now. I think it's best if we got out of here."

Lightning nodded in agreement. She pointed her Keyblade at Ansem, a blast surging from the tip. Ansem flipped out of the way, and a giant hole planted into the wall. Lightning threw her Keyblade into the air and it turned into a glider. She placed Hope's arm over her shoulder and carried him quickly onto her glider, Sora following her all the way.

When the smoke cleared, Xaldin, Xehanort, and Ansem could only see the heroes flying off into the distance. Xaldin was about to chase after them before Xehanort placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Let them go," he said quietly. "There isn't much of a point. They'll reach the outskirts of the mountains in no time on that glider. We have more important things to do."

"And what exactly might that be?"

A smirk traced Xehanort's lips.

"We still have an X-blade to get our hands on, gentlemen."

The trip back home was silent. There wasn't much to say, but Lightn—or, Claire was just glad to have Hope back safe and sound. He had fallen asleep during the flight home. Sora sat down on the end of the Keyblade, his back turned towards Claire.

He watched over Radiant Garden, the pedestrians all wandering the town in good spirits. He saw the library in the far distance. He wanted to ask the queen if he could stop there just for a second, but he knew this might not be the right time. Claire needed support after the trip down memory lane she had today.

"Xion…"

His eyes showed sympathy. He knew that the queen might have had quite a confliction purging in her brain. He turned to her and saw her stone expression.

"Hey, uh—Claire…"

"I don't recall giving you permission to address me by my first name. My daughter is one thing, but I am the queen of Radiant Garden and you will show me respect."

He lowered his gaze and turned back around. "Sorry."

Guilt slowly crept into her and she let out a weary breath. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad, it's just—what a day." She smiled at her sleeping husband. "I'm just glad to have my Hopie back."

Sora wanted to laugh at the nickname she gave him. He looked at her with admiration. Underneath that badass exterior, Claire was just a big softy.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll live. It's just… Xehanort—he really brought out the worst in me. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"We all have a dark side to us."

"I know." She chuckled softly. "Funny, I thought that it would be the Keyblade that would turn me back into Lightning. Turns out, it was only him that turned me back into Lightning. I don't want to be her anymore, Sora. I don't want to be known for anger."

"Sorry," he shook his head, "I can't help you there."

She was running away from her problem, but was that the right thing to do? Claire wanted to press on as peacefully as she could, but the anger of Lightning halted her desires.

The castle came into her view. She flew over the gate before landing the Keyblade right before the door. Sora stood as Light's Flight disintegrated. Sora placed a hand on her shoulder with a reassuring look. She reciprocated with an affirmed nod before the two entered the castle.

Merlin, who had been waiting patiently by the thrones, immediately went in their direction.

"You've returned! Oh, thank goodness!" He tightened Claire into a hug. She chuckled a bit nervously.

"Hi, dad."

It wasn't long before Serah and Kairi came running in from the kitchen.

"You guys are okay! Thank goodness," Serah said as she put her heart at ease. "It's about time! Kairi here was going on and on about how worried she was."

Kairi smacked her aunt in shoulder. "Quiet! I did no such thing!"

Serah rubbed the spot. "Okay then, you don't have to be a whore about it…"

Kairi disregarded the comment once she saw her father. She placed a hand on Claire's shoulder. "Mother, you've found him."

She nodded in response as she handed Hope over to Merlin. "Could you take him to our bedroom, Dad? I'm exhausted."

He did as requested, noting how she wore a fleece of fatigue.

"What happened?" Kairi asked. "Did you find out anything important? You have to fill us in on the details."

"Later, Kairi—right now, I'm exhausted, and I have a raging headache."

Kairi gave Claire a genuine look. "Um, mother… are you okay? I-I made some tea earlier if it makes you feel bet—"

"Shut up! What do you not get about a raging headache?! Just—shut your mouth!"

Kairi gaped at her mother. "How dare you speak to your daughter that way? I demand that you show me some respect!"

Claire angrily grabbed Kairi by the hair and pulled her head back. "Defiant child! How dare _you_?!" She lifted her hand ready to smack her into some sense, but Sora pushed her away.

"Get a grip, Claire!"

Claire summoned her Keyblade ready to tear through Sora if she had to, but Serah came from behind and wrapped her arms around Claire's shoulders to hold her back. Claire instinctively dropped her Keyblade as it clanked to the ground, its texture engulfed into a ray of light.

"Claire, what the hell!" Serah yelled as she slammed her sister to the ground.

Claire came into realization when she noticed Kairi's glassy eyes. She quickly made it to her feet and recoiled as she gawked at her hands, baffled by what she had almost done. She would have beaten her defenseless daughter into a pulp if Sora and Serah weren't there to stop her. Where did that anger come from? Was it Lightning? Was Lightning beginning to overcome her once again?

"Oh my god—Kairi, I'm so…"

She couldn't even look at her daughter in the face due to the shame that had been latched onto her. She quickly ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

Kairi got up and attempted to chase after her. "Mother—"

Sora stopped her, a stern look in his face. "Let her go. She's had a rough day."

"A rough day?"

"Yeah, a trip down memory lane kind of rough day."

"Oh." She rubbed her arm. Kairi gave Serah a quick glance. Serah took the hint and gave her niece a suggestive wink as she made her way back into the kitchen. Kairi rolled her eyes. "Oh, by the way, I have some laundry that needs to be done. It's waiting for you on my bed."

He lifted a brow. "So that's the thanks I get for risking my life to save your dad? Nice."

"Hey, I never asked you to go—mother did. If it were up to me, you would have stayed back home and helped Naminé do the dishes, where you belong."

He rolled his eyes. "Do you have an off button, or is there no intermission to your drama?"

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. "Har har," she said sarcastically. "Just get out of my face, you pathetic frog. And I'll be waiting for that laundry to get done before I go to sleep tonight."

"Psh, whatever."

He tried not to get too pissed off at her. It wasn't like she knew any better. The two began to part ways in opposite directions.

"Hey," Kairi's voice stopped Sora in his tracks. He turned to her with raised brows.

"What's up?"

She turned to him with slight blush. "Thank you."

He smiled, causing her blush to deepen. Perhaps somewhere down in her heed of self-absorbency, there was some hope for her.

"Any time, Princess."

**I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.**

**It took a while for me to update, and I apologize, but I was spending countless days and hours trying to find the strength to just jot this whole chapter down. I've spent the last two days editing and revising this chapter nonstop.**

**This chapter's main focal point was action, obviously. Not too much relationship development in this one. So sorry for those of you who wanted some more character interactions between Sora and Kairi/Namine, but don't worry, because we're gonna slow things down again in the next chapter and we'll start developing things more. Not that there won't be ANY action for those of you who like the action/adventure aspects of this story. I'm trying to give you guys a good, balanced blend of all three.**

**Now, writing action scenes aren't really a strong suit of mine either. I'm not used to it, and it's part of the reason why it took me so long to get this out. I stepped out of my comfort zone, and I wanted it to be the best that it could be. I've mostly written romance stories throughout my little career and I haven't tackled anything too action-y. I'm new to all of this, so please tell me in a review if the action in this was written okay! And I'd really appreciate it if you left me a review in general! They're a big motivator for me to update faster and to give me the feeling that I'm not doing this for no reason.**

**The thing with Kuame was to make it seem a little more unexpected that he was actually Ansem. Well, Kuame isn't exactly Ansem, he's just- you know what? That whole thing will be explained more in future chaps lol.**

**I didn't want to make this chapter this long either. I always aim for 5,000 words at the very least, but I try not to go past 8,000, so I hope this wasn't overbearing for you!**

**So yeah, I think I got out everything I wanted to say. It shouldn't be too long for me to drop the next chap because it most likely won't be as action-oriented. And if that's the case, I'll be in more of my element, so I can get it out faster. Hell, I might even be able to get it out during the weekend if I work hard enough. Until then, have a great day and I thank all of my supporters! I really appreciate it, guys! Love you!**


	10. Envious

She tossed and turned in her sleep. Her pillow was soaked with her perspiration. She moaned and hissed as images of a dark creature clasping at her heart silently tortured her during her unconscious hallucinations.

Claire quickly sprung up from her bed in a cold sweat. She placed the palm of her hand on her forehead, took a look at it, and saw it drenched. The heat exhausted her; she could barely keep consciousness and felt sick to her stomach. She looked beside her and saw Hope sleeping peacefully, all wrapped up in the comforter.

Their bedroom had a light purple hue that appeared grim in modest illumination, but the moon had peaked through the casement windows by the side allowing radiance to sneak through the darkness. Their white, inexpressive bed was stacked with lavender sheets that hugged the mattress tightly, and next to it was a small table with a floral vase standing silently. The walls showcased paintings of Claire and her husband. She attached her eyes to one of the portraits she had of herself. She was clad in her metallic armor with the Keyblade pointed towards the sky, a determined look on her face, and black rose petals framed her slim figure.

The image represented her time and dedication to being Lightning, the bravest warrior in Radiant Garden's entire kingdom. The rose petals tinged with black represented the darkness in her heart at the time. Claire felt eerie to be looking at herself in such an almost...remorseful state of mind. The regret of her days as a fierce brutality had caught up to her. The old Lightning would kick Claire's ass just for having these weak-minded thoughts. Her presumption was proven true, as she looked back at her face in the painting and saw that it had turned to look her deep into the eyes with her brows furrowed. Her pupils shone irritation at Claire for being so vulnerable.

Claire rubbed her eyes and quickly looked back at the painting to see that the face was back in its original position, looking up ahead with determination. These hallucinations were getting out of control, and the painting was successfully sending shivers down her spine.

She got up from the bed and staggered out of the door, her sticky skin dripping puddles.

She made it down the hallway into the bathroom, quickly turning on the faucet. She cupped her hands with the water and splashed her face, trembling slightly from the chilliness. With eyes closed to shield herself away from the droplets that tried to worm their way inside her eyelids, she patted her hand around to find a towel. She felt the rough fabric and used it to wipe her features dry.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

And she saw herself, but she was dressed in armor and she held onto a devilish smirk—a smirk she definitely did not feel on her own lips at the moment. She yelped and recoiled, shutting her eyes tight. She hesitated to open them, but when she did, she saw a frightened Claire Estheim staring back at her, whimpering from the sudden vision.

Claire stood up straight and after calming her breaths, she looked at her reflection with a dull gaze. "Grab a hold of yourself, Claire—you're starting to see things. On top of that, you're talking to yourself, so you know you need some rest."

But first—a drink. She made her way downstairs, all the way across the large main entrance until she finally got to the kitchen. She went into the cabinets and pulled out a glass. She went into the refrigerator and filled it with some orange juice. She felt like a big kid, needing OJ to soothe her in the middle of the night, but she didn't care. She nearly suffocated with the way she quickly downed her drink.

She coughed as the glass parted from her lips. She wiped her mouth. A sigh involuntarily escaped her; she was glad to have gotten that out of her system.

"Feel better?" said a monotone but feminine voice.

Frightened by the abruptness of it, Claire dropped her glass. She looked at the kitchen counter and saw something that paralyzed her.

She saw herself—sitting at the counter—with a martini. But it wasn't her—it was Lightning.

"W-W-W-Wh-Wh-W-W-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh—" Claire couldn't even start a sentence, she was so scared.

Lightning, still dressed in a slender armor suit, took a sip out of her martini before setting it back down on the counter. "That's some pretty good shit."

"Wh-Wh-Who are you? Why the hell are you in my house?!"

"Aw, is that any way to talk to yourself? Who'd ever thought I'd let a man turn me into such a spineless weakling?"

Claire closed her eyes. "You're not me! You're just an illusion! And you'll go away right when I open my eyes!"

She opened her eyes and…

Nobody was there. Relief settled, but soon was disrupted as a hand gently touched her shoulder from behind. Claire looked up to see her own face once again.

"You've been running away from me, Claire…" Lightning said, caressing Claire by the cheek.

Claire got up immediately and backed up. "Stay away! I'm warning you—you—whoever you are!" Claire tried to summon her Keyblade, but it never materialized.

"Is this what you're looking for?" Lightning pulled up True Light's Flight, eyeing it carelessly. "It only abides by my command." Lightning stowed the Keyblade away while walking towards Claire slowly and menacingly.

"Y-Y-you… stay away, I'm warning you! Stay away from me!"

Lightning's devilish smirk became apparent in the dark shadows, the dim light of the room highlighting her creepy visage. She ran up to Claire and roughly pushed her against the wall, grasping her by the wrists.

"You can't run from me, Claire… what's the use… in running from yourself?"

Claire lost it. She tried to fight out of Lightning's hold, but she was too powerful. "Leave me alone! Leave me alone, oh my god! Leave me alone! Don't touch me! You're not me! You're not me!"

"Mother! Mom! Calm down, please!"

Claire opened her eyes.

"K-Kairi…?"

Kairi's cobalt eyes were lost in a mixture of fright and confusion. She was grasping Claire by the wrists, similarly as her other self seemingly had done as well. Claire froze in time, trying to digest everything that was in front of her now. Kairi slowly unrestricted her mother's wrists.

"Um…" Kairi began, "I heard you screaming from my room… are you okay?"

Claire's hands trembled in anxiety. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Was it all just an illusion? But it felt so real. She felt her other self when she came into physical contact with her, she felt the texture of the palms—but was it all just a façade?

Sora and Riku came running into the room, both with heavy bags under their eyes but with alarmed postures. Sora had his Keyblade ready while Riku had found a vase that he probably planned to bat someone against the head with.

"What's going on?" Sora asked, trying to sound brave.

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Calm down, 'oh fearless leaders'. Everything's okay (I think), mother just had a bad dream or something. Now go back to bed."

"Aw…" Riku whined, "I was hoping to get to…" he yawned, "whack somebody in the head with this thing…"

Sora patted Riku on the back as they left. "If only, young grasshopper… if only…"

Kairi turned back to her mother and helped her to her feet. "So, what happened?"

She saw herself—if only it were in a blind eye. The image of her own menacing face tormenting her was traumatizing the poor queen. She trembled slightly but didn't want to worry her daughter. Her lips twitched into a smile.

"Nothing. It was like you said, just a bad dream."

Kairi looked unimpressed. "Is that really it?" Kairi yawned as she exited. "Well, go back to sleep then—you big baby."

Claire chuckled, believing she probably deserved that title. The queen of Radiant Garden—screaming like a little school girl. It was all in her head, and she was letting it affect her so painfully. It'd be best if she went back to sleep. She stopped by the door and took one last look at the empty kitchen. There weren't any signs of life or creepy ghosts infiltrating the place, so she hurried herself back into her bedroom.

Hope looked the same as she left him. The sound of Claire reentering their quarters made him shift in his bed until he found a soft spot. She would have giggled if she weren't so scared and cold. Her feet shuffled against the carpet as she lay back into the soft mattress. Hope shifted again and subconsciously wrapped an arm around his wife. She found the strength to giggle at that and allowed herself to be swallowed in his warmth. She closed her eyes.

It was just an illusion.

* * *

"Wake up!"

Sora's eyes shot open. He would have nearly fallen off of the rail if not for Kairi grabbing him by the wrist at the very last second, pulling him over.

"Lazy bum, it's time for you to get up!"

He looked at the sky—it was barely the break of dawn. "What time is it? Is it even six yet?"

"It's six on the dot."

"What the hell is so important that you'd have me wake up this early?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"What else? What applies to the morning?"

He thought for a second. "Breakfast…?"

"Duh! Now get down into the kitchen and fix me something to eat."

"I'm not your slave."

"But you are beneath me, so you shall do what I say."

That statement was getting severely old. "Um, no I won't."

"You dare play this game with me?"

"Fine… fine…"

Sora stood up from the rail, rubbing his eyes a bit more, scratched his groin for a split second, and walked inside of the castle. Kairi followed him behind in good spirits.

"See? Look at how easy we can get along when you just follow what I say."

"Mm hm." He was barely listening to her. He could only tell that she asked a somewhat rhetorical question so he automatically agreed to whatever she said.

He stopped by the door of her room.

"Hold on, I'll be right back." He entered her own room. She heard it being locked on the other side and her eyes widened.

"Wait a minute—what the hell are you doing?" she asked as she knocked on the door.

"Sleeping," Sora said, his voice hardly audible.

"I told you to make me some breakfast!"

"Tough cookies." He turned around. The sight of her bed literally made him drool. He had never seen a mattress look so soft. He closed in on it like a zombie before collapsing, sinking into the welcoming surface. He hadn't slept in a bed in about ten years. To say he was relaxed was the understatement of the decade.

He got himself comfortable as he wrapped himself in the warm blankets.

"What are you doing? You had better not be on my bed!" She received no response. "Oh! You filthy parasite!"

"I've been called worse by better."

She kicked the door but ended up stubbing her toe. She hopped on one foot as she clutched her injured foot. "Ow! Damn it! Shit! Fuck! Fuck! Shit! Motherfucking fucker fuckity fuck fuck!"

Kairi calmed herself down. No one had ever made her swear so much like he had. She gave up. The door was locked and Sora was probably knocked out by now. She made her way back to the rail, disintegrating onto the infamous castle hot spot. Her stomach snarled at her, telling her that it longed for some food.

"Shut up." Fatigue hit her as she closed her own eyes.

* * *

Surrounded by nothing but a vast view of a dispatched prairie and dirt sat the little dome that slightly poked its head above the ground. The lab Master Xehanort had to call his temporary home.

Xehanort was being dragged in by his grandson. Xemnas pressed the digits into the keypad as the house allowed him access.

Master Xehanort's breathing was impaired. His skin began lazily slithering off his body, wrinkles of his signature texture slouched towards the ground. An automatic door zipped to the left, allowing them entry. Xemnas laid Master Xehanort on a nearby couch, slicked in white fabric. Xemnas hurried to the big husk that had originally returned Master Xehanort his youth to him.

Going off the top of his dome, Xemnas pressed a few buttons appropriately on the keypad before pulling on the lever. A vial with green liquid appeared out of the capsule. Times like these made Xemnas grateful he had such a photographic memory.

Sweat rolled down Master Xehanort's aging pelt, he placed the back of his hand against it. Xemnas carefully handed his grandfather the vial as Xehanort twitched his fingers to grasp it. Before he could go through any more pain, he downed the drink. He froze, his body pausing in time as if he were locked into the ice age, and slowly but surely the wrinkles on his crusty skin smoothed out. His eyesight cleared out. He could breathe again as his young appearance refurbished.

"Intense," Xemnas said, half-jokingly.

Master Xehanort offered a scowl before making his way up to his feet, stretching his limbs. He threw off his black coat to reveal himself in nothing but black tights, boots, and shirtless. If he were out in public, his muscles and well-toned physique would have garnered attention.

"So, what was that all about?" Xemnas asked to fill the silence.

Master Xehanort pounded his fist against the machine. "I can only gain small dosages from this thing. I need a permanent source of radiation to allow its effects to last forever."

"That stuff has radiation?" Xemnas asked incredulously. "Grandfather, I—"

"Master Xehanort, to you!"

Xemnas calmed himself as he took in a deep breath. "Sorry. But I can't let you use radiation. Do you know how dangerous that stuff is?"

"Of course I do, you imbecile. But what other options do I have?"

"Just keep taking small doses."

"And if I run out of time during battle?"

"Bring a set of vials with you on the move."

Xehanort scoffed as he used his index finger and his thumb to pick up one of the vials. "Please. These itty bitty things are too fragile. They'd break in a millisecond."

"How does radiation even do that?"

"Its substance can reduce physical appearance by simply reconstructing certain DNA if it goes through the proper manufacturing—hence, my invention. In a sense, I'm still eighty four years old even with my newfound look. But looks can be deceiving."

Xehanort went into a nearby closet and pulled out a pressed white dress shirt with the sleeves puffed out towards the end. He quickly put it on.

"What's with the outfit?"

"I'm going to give Radiant Garden one more go to see if I can't take their land and use it for my own personal use. If not, then we'll move onto plan B. We'll take our efforts to other establishments, build our recruits, and then take Radiant Garden. It'll be putty in our hands."

"Xaldin and Ansem are already looking for recruits, aren't they?"

"You are correct."

"I don't see why we can't just infiltrate this place with the heartless."

"That's the plan, you idiot. But if you haven't noticed yet, plans don't always progress as smoothly as you originally intend. And that queen seems to always find a way to ruin everything along with her little sidekick, the Keyblade kid. We'll have to take a detour on our schedule with the way things seem to be turning out."

"If you say so. Still doesn't explain the getup."

"I'm going into town to start commanding my heartless. Formal clothing deludes suspicion. Remember that as a life lesson. You don't need to look the part to play the part. With that in mind, fools like the ones you see on the street won't even bat an eye at you."

"What do I do?"

"You tell me."

"Well, this is all supposed to be your genius idea, so shouldn't it be you telling me?"

Master Xehanort overlapped a thick grey coat that went to his thigh over his dress shirt. "Are you not the one who insisted on breaking me out? I can only do so much, Xemnas. I need you to contribute to the task at hand as well by taking the initiative. Grow up and be a man without needing me to hold your hand and spoon feed you all of the damn time."

"Huh, some great leader, leaving me on my own like this. How am I supposed to know what you have in store?"

"Figure. It. Out."

With such a vague request swirling the air, Master Xehanort made his exit. Xemnas plopped back onto the sofa, wondering what to do. Why did his grandfather have to act like they shared the same brain? He didn't know what he was doing and he wasn't sure if it was flattering that Xehanort thought that they did or just overwhelming.

* * *

Sora had been lying down on Kairi's soft bed for an hour and a half after waking up. He stared at the ceiling, examining its pinkness. The only thoughts that crossed his mind were how much Xion would have adored this room. She deserved it—unlike a certain Princess. But that wasn't the point.

The point was that he needed to be trying to find a way to get out of this place instead of relaxing in this bed. He knew that his sister must have been a wreck at this point. At the same time, he felt obligated to help Claire. She had been so upset lately. But his sister came first.

A collage of thoughts strewed his mind. His initiations felt ignored. He had to find Xion no matter what the cost, but every time he made the step to go find her, Kairi was there to pull him two steps back.

A knock was heard from the door. Sora lifted his head and attached his eyes to the source. It was most likely Kairi trying to barge in. But wouldn't she have been yelling offenses at him by now? He rolled off the mattress and landed on his feet in one swift motion before opening the door.

Sure enough, Kairi was looking at him with dreariness. Her posture was slouched and her expression unidentifiable. She looked tired yet angry, battered yet calm. Perhaps it was another one of those mixtures.

"Uh," Sora murmured uncomfortably. Kairi shoved him out of her way as she trudged towards the bed. She plopped onto the mattress and sunk into it. It felt like a big marshmallow.

Sora stood there, not knowing what to do, awkwardly shutting the door. "Uh—"

"I didn't get very much sleep last night," she interrupted. "That rail is so fucking hard I think my back is gonna be stiff forever."

Sora noticed how she wasn't speaking like she usually did. It seemed like the longer he got to know Kairi, the more she seemed to be more comfortable and eased up on her speech. At this point, she probably didn't care whether or not he saw her as his superior.

"Yeah?" Sora asked.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "I was really pissed off because that was the only place to sleep. I tried asking everyone in the castle if I could bunk with them but they were already knocked out. Serah might've let me, but I dare not spend a night with her."

Sora chuckled. He could relate to Kairi's anti-Serah outlook.

"I was angry with you, too." Well, it was only a matter of time. "I thought to myself, how could he just lock me out of my own room and force me to sleep outside with the weather cold and bitter? But then I realized… I can't really speak upon it because I've been doing the same thing to you as well, haven't I?" Sora remained silent. "I'm sorry about that. You've been out there for the past two weeks but you didn't complain. Not once did you come crying to me about having to sleep out in the cold as I treated you like a dog. I have to say, I'm a bit impressed with your patience."

"Well, shit, does the princess actually have… a heart?"

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah… anyway, I'm exhausted. I think I'm gonna just sleep in today."

"Yeah, me too, if your mother doesn't need anything."

Kairi felt no need to respond as she got herself comfortable, tucking herself into the covers as a smile twitched onto her lips. The bed hugged her with such warmth. The brunet sighed, realizing there wasn't anything else to say. He was about to make his exit.

"Wait a minute, where are you going now?"

"To the balcony to get some sleep." Where else would he go?

"You can stay here."

Sora froze in his tracks. Did she offer him to sleep beside her? No way, she probably meant on the floor or something. Maybe she was so tired she wasn't even paying attention to her words.

"Uh, you sure?"

"I can't allow my guardian to respite out on that rigid rail. I need you strong so that you can help my mother. And you can't gain strength as easily unless you have the proper rest."

"So, I can get in the bed?"

"It's an order."

This was surreal. What happened to the space time continuum? He always figured the fact that he and Kairi hated each other was practically one of the Ten Commandments. He couldn't complain. He didn't mind getting some extra rest.

He slipped into the covers as the uncomfortable level rose to the top of the meter. Kairi was in the same predicament, but she didn't dare admit to it. Sora twiddled his thumbs as his eyes repeatedly darted to her. Her back was turned towards him. Kairi's eyes shifted in all different types of directions on the other side. The two of them just kept to themselves for what felt like hours.

"Uh, Kairi—" Sora said, breaking the long awaited silence. "Are you asleep?"

She waited a long five seconds to respond. "No."

"Oh. Okay."

Sora decided he might as well get some leisure out of this as he placed his palms behind his head and stared at the ceiling like he had earlier, before Kairi knocked.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hm?"

"What is it like out in Radiant Garden?"

He lifted a single brow. "You're asking me? It's your town, isn't it?"

"The life of a princess doesn't allow me to explore the town at my own free will. I've only been out into town about three times, all of which were when as I was so young I barely remember anything. And at the time, I was inside of a stagecoach most of the time. I've never… seen the town at my own pace before. I've never gotten to see things like the way you have."

"Sounds like a real bitch."

"It is."

"So you've never really seen Radiant Garden before?"

"Basically, yes. I'm just being envious, but what is it like?"

Sora took a minute to formulate his response. "Some areas are a little grimy and definitely not something I think you'd be into. But there's another side to Radiant Garden. It's always bustling with busy people. Hours on Market Street can be stressful. The people are assholes, but at the same time, you can't hate 'em either. It's like—one big family, you know? We get on each other's nerves a lot and try to outwit each other, but at the end of the day, we all share the same community. And we'll be there for each other when the time calls for it."

Kairi longed for an environment such as that. To think, it was under her nose the entire time her authority had constantly restricted her natural desires.

"Is it hard not being out in the streets?"

Sora chuckled. "No, I prefer this castle than being out there any day. But a visit to my becoming never hurts either. I can't forget where I came from."

"I see." She heard the nostalgia in his tone. "By the way, locking me out of my room doesn't go without its punishments. You're cooking for me after we get done resting."

"Okay," Sora responded. "But you realize I'm not gonna do that, right?"

She sighed, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "I know."

They sat in silence for another two minutes until Sora broke it.

"Hey, you think you might let me go see my sister?"

A frown immediately caressed her lips. "No. Not now, not ever."

Sora followed the suit, but he tried not to get too heated. "And why is that?"

"Because…" she trailed.

She was acting like an eleven year old. "Because what?"

"I have my reasons. Who are you to question them?"

He sat up. "I have every right to question them because it involves my sister. My family. My blood."

She bit her lip. "Quit being so overdramatic. I'm sure your sister is fine."

"That's not even the point. She's my sister, and I want to see her. I want to make sure she's provided for. I mean, can't we bring her here or something? What's one more person gonna hurt?"

Kairi sat up as well and presented Sora with an appalled expression. "No way! First of all, having her stay here isn't even my decision. And secondly, if she's anything like you, I'll save myself the headache. Two dirty street rats are quite enough, thank you very much."

"But you'd like Xion. She's nice, funny, and she's always looking to find the best in people. Basically, everything that you're not."

Kairi stuck out her tongue. "She sounds disgusting. Why would I like someone who's apparently nothing like me?"

Sora shrugged with a smirk. "Opposites attract."

She raised a brow. "If that were the case, I think you and I would be in love."

He placed a hand by her neck as he moved his face towards her, subtracting their proximity. His mischievous smirk sent a wave of tingles down her spine as he breathed into her neck. "Is that a confession?" he whispered.

Kairi just learned something.

Sora had the ability to turn into a sexy beast in the matter of seconds.

She almost gave into his words before she realized he was most likely just messing around and had no intentions of doing anything with her. It wasn't like she liked him or anything, but she admitted that he was attractive. She placed her hands onto his chest and shoved him back. He chuckled in good humor.

"That was gross!"

"You know you liked it."

"You wish I liked it."

Sora rolled his eyes. He decided not to even bother mentioning the blush on her cheeks because she'd only try to find some type of contradiction anyhow. "But you gotta let me see my sister. I mean, I feel like society just took her away from me. I only want her back to know that she's safe."

"Let her go, Sora. You need to learn how to trust her."

"I do trust her. I just…" he closed his eyes, just thinking of all of the potential dangers she may have had to face all alone without her big brother to support her. And that's just assuming she was still alive. For all he knew, she may have been in some sort of mishap by now. "You have to let me see her."

"I can't!" She crossed her arms and turned her head the other way.

Sora didn't want her to get set off, so he gently placed his hand onto her shoulder. "Then, can you at least tell me why?"

"Because…" her lips trembled, "because, if I let you go—you would never come back."

"Wouldn't that be your dream come true?"

"No, you fucktarded fucker! You're my chosen guardian for a reason, and I want protection!" She sighed as she was finally able to let that out. "Besides…"

He looked at her with anticipation.

"It's not like… I hate you or anything."

His eyes widened to the declaration. Sound the bells, the horns, the sirens, everything! Kairi did not hate him? Since when? And why hadn't there been a ceremony to celebrate Kairi's retraction of bitchiness?

"But don't misunderstand me, I still don't like you as a person, but… I can't say I hate you either. As much as I loathe to admit it, you have opened me up to ideas that I haven't even considered."

"What do you mean?"

"What you said about equality that day in the dungeon—it stuck with me. I've been trying to work a little bit harder on that."

"Really? Haven't noticed." That wasn't sarcasm.

"Shut up. These things take time, okay? Besides, I let you in my bed. That's a step forward, right?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. I appreciate that you're trying to be an actual human being and not a goddess."

"I never thought I'd be in a bed side by side with a street rat, but at least you shower."

He rolled his eyes. "Do you think the poor just sit around in their own filth or something?" She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off. "You know what? Don't even answer that."

Her expression grazed into a more vulnerable depiction. "You must really hate me, huh? That's probably why you want to leave so badly. I suppose I can't blame you."

"Oh come on, give me more credit than that. I don't hate you. I mean, I don't like you at all—and you're still a straight up bitch to me. But I don't hate you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you've proven that you at least have some heart."

"I see…"

"But you aren't going to let me leave, are you?"

With the way she had been treating him, he'd be smart not to come back. But at the same time, just looking into his eyes, she could tell he missed his sister and dreadfully longed for her. After all that they had been through in just a couple of weeks, saying no would feel out of place.

"I-I—I suppose it'd be okay."

Sora bounced out of the bed, cheering and fist pumping the air like a maniac. Kairi giggled a little bit at Sora's reaction but hid her smile as well as she could. She turned to look at the window but her eyebrows rose as she felt lips smooch her cheek. She turned back around to see Sora looking at her with a big grin.

"Thank you so much! You're so awesome!"

"S-Sure…" she said as a shade of red faded onto her cheeks. She wanted to touch the tender spot so badly, but she didn't need Sora thinking that she enjoyed the kiss. Not that she did. Did he even kiss her? Did she imagine it? It didn't look like he had, but she felt something.

Perhaps, she was hallucinating.

Sora hurried towards the door. He stopped himself, and looked back at Kairi, who returned staring out of the window that led to the backyard garden.

"Hey, I know a way to prove to you that I will come back."

She was skeptical. "And how is that?"

"Come with me."

Shocked by his answer, she turned to him waiting for further explanation. "What?"

"Come on, I know you want to. You can disguise yourself as a peasant and we can go out into the town." He walked up to her and placed an arm around her shoulder with a firm grip. "I can show you around the town and introduce you to my sister."

"Y-You'd do that?"

"Of course," he smirked. "After what you told me earlier—shit, I have to."

She nodded quickly. "O-Okay!" She jumped up from the bed and began moving around frantically. "I have to find something to wear! I have to get my hair messed up so that I can get categorized as a peasant! I need to tone down on the makeup! Oh gosh, oh gosh!"

He never realized how much this meant to her. Sora awkwardly backed out of the room, but the smirk never left his face. He walked out and shut the door behind him as he placed his back against the door.

This was it. After weeks of waiting, the nights of no sleep due to the guilt—he was finally going to see his sister.

"Yes."

* * *

**This chapter has been edited as of 10/30/14. **

**Working on Chapter 11 right now! **

**So yeah, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Review, fav, follow, all that jazz and thank you for taking the time to check out my work! Much love to everybody who's already been faving, following, and reviewing! I appreciate the support! **


	11. Radiant Garden

"So what you're saying is that it's a date?" Serah asked teasingly.

Sora rolled his eyes. He was leaned against Kairi's door with his arms crossed, waiting for her to get dressed in the clothes she had imported by the servants. How they came across such raggedy clothes was beyond him. A backpack clung onto his shoulders, full of provisions.

"It's not a date," Sora insisted. "We're just going out into town for a few hours while Claire and Hope are out patrolling for Heartless on the town's perimeter. It's no biggie."

"Dude." Riku had his back leaned against the wall parallel from the brunet, his arms crossed in a similar manner, and a casual smirk. "You're taking the princess out for a night on the town. Just you two—alone. It's a date."

Serah purred. "Meow, Sora! I didn't know you had it in you!"

An adolescent harbored by opposing denial—a target to pester for all teenagers. "Look, I know you guys are just trying to get on my nerves, but it's not a date. Honestly, my main priority is finding Xion. I have to make sure she's alright."

Riku scoffed. "So I guess the fact that you're taking a beautiful girl out, also known by an itty bitty title as the _princess _of Radiant Garden—doesn't hold any weight to this whatsoever?"

"I'm glad we're finally eye to eye."

Serah rolled her eyes. "Anyway, does that imply that you like Kairi since you invited her?"

Back to square one. "No way! But the fact that she never got to see anything beyond the palace walls is a crime. She should be free to make her own decisions by now."

"Hm, so is it that you feel—compassionate?"

"No. I can just relate. Are we done with all the stupid questions?"

"Her folks probably won't be very happy with you taking their daughter out into town without their consent," Riku observed. "If they catch you, you're dead."

"Catch me?" Sora chuckled. "Oh, Riku—silly, silly Riku. They're all the way out by the town's perimeter with dozens upon dozens of soldiers. If that doesn't give us enough time, then I don't know what will."

"Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"No worries!"

A knock was heard from the other side of the door. "I'm coming out," Kairi's stifled voice announced.

Sora backed out of the way as the door swung open. In the frame, revealed Kairi dressed in a tan tank top that was cut midway to show off her belly. She had some brown pants that were bloated around the end. Some high heels clasped her feet. Her hair was tied into a bun.

"What do you think?"

"May I speak, your Highness?" Riku asked. She nodded. "You make a pretty hot peasant, Princess."

With a smirk, she struck a pose. "I know. But your flattery hasn't gone unnoticed."

Serah scoffed. "And thus, my cue to skedew," she said as she made her way back to her room. She wanted no part in Kairi's self pride.

Kairi detected Sora inquiring her as if he were evaluating his model for a portrait. "What is it? Do I look good?"

"Yeah," Sora admitted nonchalantly. Kairi was surprised at his effortless verification. "A bit too good. You look less like a peasant, and more like someone modeling as a peasant."

Kairi's shoulders shrunk.

"You complaining, man?" Riku jeered from the side.

"I am, actually. She needs to look like a real peasant."

"And just how do I do that?" Kairi exclaimed.

He stepped up to her and examined her body. She looked decent enough—but it wasn't going to cut for the Radiant Garden public. He pulled the band out of her hair, causing her bun to unravel into a messy frill of tresses. Her jaw dropped.

"What did you do that for?"

"You want to look like peasant or not?" he shot back. She puffed at her bangs as she crossed her arms like a child who had been scolded by her parent for eating the last cookie out of the jar. "Lose the high heels," he demanded. She chose not to argue and did as told, leaving her feet naked. Sora proceeded to examine her and stroked his chin.

Riku slapped Sora on his scalp. "Well, genius, how about we remedy the fact that the princess is going out into town. People will obviously recognize her."

"Okay, first of all," Sora said, getting into diva mode, "you do _not _hit me upside the head. Do it again, and you'll lose a limb."

Riku cowered back with his arms upheld.

"But you're right," Sora admitted. "We need to disguise you somehow."

Kairi crossed her arms. "Well, how the hell do we do that?"

"How about a wig?" asked a familiar light voice. The trio turned to their right to see Naminé smiling at them graciously. In her hand, she held a wig. It was cut short.

"Maid? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be cleaning the cockpit or something?"

Naminé did her best to maintain her smile. "I heard about what you guys were going to do. I decided I'd lend a hand. Here's a wig I found in her Majesty's drawer while cleaning it yesterday."

Riku took the wig from Naminé. "What the hell is the Queen doing with this?"

"She used to have to go undercover a lot. She's kind of—an unofficial spy."

Sora snaked an arm around Naminé and turned their backs to Riku and Kairi. "Why the hell are you helping us?" he whispered.

Naminé rolled her eyes. "Do you have to question me every time I do something nice for you?"

"Oh, sorry, didn't I make it clear that I'm fully aware of the fact that you only help others when it's of your benefit?"

"You make me sound like a witch."

"I don't think you want me to retort on that."

Naminé sighed. "Fine. I just needed the place to myself for a little while. You and Kairi are conveniently leaving right when I need you to. So, I'm trying to get you two closet lovers out of my hair."

"Why do you want to get us out of the palace?"

"I just have some cleaning to catch up on and I would prefer if the princess wasn't around. She's always getting in the way of things."

Was he supposed to believe that? "That's a pretty lame excuse, especially for you. I thought you were better than that, Naminé."

Naminé shrugged. "But it's gonna get you out of the house, right?"

Kairi and Riku looked at each other awkwardly, being left alone by Sora and Naminé. They didn't know what to say to each other. Riku rubbed the back of his head and gave a small wave. "Hi, how are ya?"

Growing impatient, Kairi tapped her foot and crossed her arms. Why was Sora giving that accursed maid all of his attention so suddenly? Did he forget about Kairi?

"Hey!" Kairi's voice penetrated through their conversation. "Quit dawdling, you two! Sora, did we forget about our plans or would you rather arrange secret dates with the maid?"

Sora and Naminé ignored Kairi's jab and returned to the conversation.

"I don't know what you're planning, but I got my eye on you and whatever scheme you're boiling. Lucky for you, Xion's way more important to me. Consider today a pass—but a fair warning."

Naminé smirked. "Likewise, partner. You have nothing to worry about."

He got the feeling that wasn't the case. Sora and Naminé quickly return to Kairi and Riku before the princess decided to cause any more outbursts.

"Sorry, we just had some things to review," Naminé said, shifting personalities in a millisecond. Sora was still impressed by that. "Shall we attach the wig, Princess?"

Kairi snatched the wig from Riku. "Give me that!" Naminé and Kairi reentered the princess's room. Kairi slammed the door shut before giving the two boys a scowl.

"What's her problem?" Riku asked with an eyebrow raised.

"She's fine. She just gets cranky real easily. She's not very patient either."

"Really? I never would have guessed."

Sora leaned against the wall again. "I'm about to get impatient if we don't hurry this up. This is taking way longer than it needs to be."

"At least you'll be able to see your sister again."

"Tch, yeah. The only thing worthwhile in this entire scenario. Being alone with Kairi doesn't exactly scream a fun time." He made a pouty face.

Riku gave a sympathetic look. "I'd tag along, but honestly, I can't deal with the princess and I don't even understand how you do. I'm sorry, bro…"

"You're a pussy."

The door opened yet again, and this time, Kairi garnered the wig. She had an irritated puffy face as Naminé innocently beamed behind her.

"What do you think?" the blonde asked.

"You actually look nice in that, Princess," Riku complimented.

"Whatever," Kairi responded coldly. She cared not for Riku's opinion. He was only a peasant. If anything, she cared more about Sora's opinion than him. He too was a peasant, but he had an edge to him. She noticed the brunet ogling. Wow, did she really look that good in it?

For Sora, it wasn't that she looked good—it was more so how much she resembled Xion. The only difference was that she was a bit taller than his sister.

"Well?" Kairi asked impatiently.

Sora shook his head, relieving himself of his trance. "Well, what? You look atrocious as always."

"Oh, yes, that's why you were staring." She rolled her eyes.

"Can we just go now?"

"Yes! Please!"

The two simultaneously brushed Riku and Naminé to the side, both anxious to get out of this nuisance castle. They made their way down the hall not uttering a word to each other. They peeked over the railing on the second floor in the main entrance. Merlin had fallen asleep on the King's throne. His body slumped as his hand held up his head subconsciously with his elbow relaxed on the arm rest. Sora and Kairi crouched. He turned towards her and placed a finger to his lips gently, gesturing her to be quiet. If Merlin woke up, he'd surely question their actions.

She nodded in agreement. They silently tip toed down the steps, keeping a wide eye directed at Kairi's snoring grandfather. All went well until the final step of which Sora placed his foot upon, which made an obnoxiously loud creaking noise. Sora and Kairi cringed as they noticed Merlin shifting in his sleep. Luckily, he resumed staying still as he slumped his upper body over the arm rest almost completely. Wow, what a wild sleeper.

The two adolescents sighed of relief. Kairi thumped Sora upside the head. He turned around to see her giving him a glare. He _hated _it when someone hit him on his scalp as if he were stupid. He rubbed the tender spot and contemplated if he should do anything about it—but it wasn't worth the risk of getting caught. He just gave her a dirty look before they pressed on. Kairi made sure to skip the loud, obnoxious step before Merlin decided to twist and turn almost threateningly.

They had to be a good thirty feet away from the large door. If they were to hurry this up, they had to get a move on. Sora grabbed Kairi by the wrist and lightly jogged against the red carpet that was directed towards the door. Sora was just glad he didn't have to hear Kairi protest about him touching her. There it was—the door. They were only a few feet away until—

"Ah!" Kairi yelped. She tripped over herself but landed on her knee.

_Shit, _Sora cursed mentally.

Merlin quickly lifted his head, now half awake and alert. "Who's there?!"

The foyer was empty. There wasn't a soul in sight. Merlin shrugged it off and went back to catching z's. He was too tired to even inspect what that sound was. Nor did he care as he drifted back off into slumber.

Sora and Kairi were on the other side of the door. Their backs lined up against it.

"That was impressive," Kairi admitted. "The way you were able to pick me up and zip out of the door without making a sound. How'd you learn how to do that?"

Sora took off his backpack and knelt down to check for the container of water he filled earlier. "Hey, when you've been escaping from the boys as long as I have, you learn a few things."

"Yeah, like how to be a criminal."

He didn't care to respond as he pulled out a silver container. He popped the cap open. Kairi gawked as he drank his refreshment.

"Where did you get that?"

"I filled it up earlier."

"Where's mine?"

"You mean you didn't fill yourself up a container?"

She looked a bit flabbergasted. "N-No—I mean, wasn't that your duty? Why didn't you get me something to drink?"

Sora closed the container as he stood up. "Well, let's see—you have two arms, two legs, I'm assuming a brain is captive in that big ol' forehead of yours too. So, I'm gonna go off a limb and say that maybe if you had done it yourself, you wouldn't have this problem."

"My forehead's not big!"

She was going to be so hopeless. "Well, you want some?" he asked, referring to his water.

"No way! Not after you put your filthy lips on it! That's germs!"

"It's not like it'll kill you or anything."

"How do _you _know?"

Sora shrugged. "Fine, if you rather die of thirst." He picked up his backpack and began making his way. Kairi stomped to the door.

"Well, then I guess I'll have to go get my own water!"

He tugged on her wrist. "Oh, no you don't. You chose a pretty bad time to wise up. We can't risk your gramps waking up. And we all know about how clumsy you are."

Kairi cupped her ears. "Okay, okay! Shut up already! God!"

Something about getting under her skin was so satisfying. Sora tucked his container into his pocket. "Alright, then. Let's ditch this dump."

She crossed her arms. "My forehead isn't really that big, is it?"

She received no answer. Only a teasing smirk before he walked off. "Time's a wastin'."

She had no choice but to follow albeit not looking forward to spending a day with him at all. She shamelessly staggered behind only to find that she didn't even spot Sora ahead of her. She turned her head to the right. She spotted him looking up at the palace walls with his gears going into full throttle. She caught up with him.

"What are you doing?"

"We need to get over these walls. Any ideas?"

"Don't look at me. You're supposed to be the resourceful one."

Sora's shoulders shrunk. "Gee, your usefulness is overwhelming."

She stuck her tongue out at him. He resumed scanning the area. The palace walls were pretty heightened. They could just go through the main gate but the guards wouldn't allow them to pass. They had to sneak out the back way.

Sora's eyes set themselves on a nearby tree just up ahead of him. He took his backpack off and handed it to the princess. "Hold this," he demanded.

She looked at it with disgust. "No way!"

He shoved the backpack into her possession. The weight of it heaved her to the ground. She hadn't lifted a finger her entire life so this backpack that weighed about five pounds felt like an anchor to her. Sora wanted to puke at how much of a prissy weakling she was.

He returned his attention to the branch that overlooked the ground before him. He bent his knees before he sprung himself all the way up to the stem, grasping it with his palms. The branch began slowly lifting Sora. He had to move fast. "Hand me the bag!"

Kairi did her best to throw it, and it barely touched the tip of Sora's fingers. The brunet figured as such would happen and he clutched the bag before it was too late. He then threw it over the walls so that it was on the other side.

"Now give me your hand."

Kairi stretched her arm out to reach for him.

"Hey!"

It was one of the guards. A collective of them began running towards the two attempting fugitives.

"Where do you two think you're going? The Queen wouldn't like it if we just let you waltz out of here!"

Kairi was dumbstruck. How could they have found out? Did somebody squeal? Was it Serah? Or was it that sketchy maid?

"Come on, you idiot, take my hand!" Sora's voice brought her out from la la land. She whisked around and seized his hand gently. He didn't hesitate to get a much stronger hold of her. His grip was soft yet firm. He lifted her up so that he could grab hold of her waist. He held her tight against his body before he used all of his strength to power his way over the walls with Kairi in his arms.

The two landed over the walls. Sora took the brunt of the fall, landing on his bottom with Kairi in his possession. The pain from the collapse quickly shot all the way up his spine. Kairi's back rested on his knees as he still held her tight due to trying to settle the painful impact of the plummet. Kairi opened an eye. She didn't even care about the position they were in—she cared more about getting them the heck away from there. Sora released his arms from her body as he leaned back against the barricades.

"Shit…"

Kairi patted him against the cheek. "Come on, we don't have time to relax!"

She was right. Kairi got off of his lap as he stood up. He swung the backpack around his shoulder as he took her by the hand once again before they sprinted off. They could hear the guardsmen protest.

They crossed a mini bridge that would officially lead them into Radiant Garden. The familiar sight of the rundown, generally white buildings brought back a fresh sense of nostalgia to Sora. The scent of paint and fresh fruit enticed his nostrils. It was good to be back.

However, he couldn't bask in its glory just yet. They had to get a decent distance away from the castle first. Kairi was in tow with Sora's feet. She examined the structure of the town. The further they went, the more people became present. They stopped, realizing that even if the guards were chasing them—it'd take them a while with the town in such a busy mood. They'd just blend in with the atmosphere.

"Huh," was all Kairi could say as they finally had time to breathe. She studied every inch of her surroundings. "This is amazing… I've never gotten to really see the town in this light…"

He smirked at her. "What's with that stupid smile on your face?"

Was she smiling? She didn't even notice. She awkwardly coughed as she tried maintaining her solemn appearance. "I don't know what you're talking about," she murmured.

Sora did his best to keep his eyes away from her. She looked too much like Xion for her own good. But on the bright side, Kairi's appearance reminded him why he had butterflies in his stomach. He was finally going to see her again. He had to make sure she was safe. All Sora could do was pray to God that she was still alive.

She tapped him on his shoulder. "Where's your sister?" she asked.

"Why do you care?"

"You talk so highly of her, I must admit, my curiosity has been aroused."

"It's too bad that she should be all the way across town. It'll take us half an hour to get to her."

"Half an hour?" Kairi sounded pretty bummed. "That'll take forever."

"Whatever it takes, then. I haven't been able to see my sister in weeks. I don't care if it's a two hour long walk, I'm gonna see her. You can either stay in town or do your own little exploring, but I'm off."

He could barely make a step before—

"Wait! You wouldn't just leave me all alone, would you?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "You saying you _want_ to spend time with me?"

"No way! B-But I mean, I'll get lost if I'm all by myself…"

And whose problem was that? "Then stick with me. But we're going to go find Xion."

She had no choice. She would have rather had explored the town a bit more. Maybe Sora might have given her a tour. His sister could wait, couldn't she? Keeping up with Sora had its struggles. It was quite teeming, especially since they were in the Market District.

Kairi was continuously bumped from side to side throughout many strong bodies. She tried to keep herself calm, remembering that these people didn't see her as the princess she really was. But it was annoying for them to carelessly make contact with her like that. The fact that they were peasants made it all the more disgusting. If she still had the appearance of a princess she bet they wouldn't be tossing her around so hastily.

A rotund individual lost a little bit of his balance and accidentally bumped his belly onto Kairi. The princess ended up tumbling over.

"Oh, I'm really sorry darling," the man apologized.

Kairi stood herself up while dusting off her attire. "Watch where you're going!" She darted her eyes up ahead to see a familiar-looking backpack. She quickly ran through the crowd to catch up with him. She walked behind him steadily. He didn't even notice that she wasn't even there for a second, the big idiot. His mind must have been really set on his sister. She supposed she could understand why he was so anxious. If she had been separated from her father for weeks without her consent, she'd be pretty upset too. She almost felt like apologizing for keeping him away from someone he obviously held a strong connection with.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she ended up bumping into Sora's back. He turned to her.

"Could you be any clumsier today?" he asked, slightly annoyed. It made sense, though. She wasn't used to doing _anything. _Her whole life she had been spoon fed, so for her to actually be active must have been a little awkward for her. No wonder she couldn't hold his backpack.

He decided to leave his rhetorical question without a response as he turned back around. They were standing in an alleyway and Kairi noticed the strangers surrounding them. Their attention had been magnetically pulled towards something ahead. She was pretty short compared to them, so she ended up having to stand on her tippy toes just to get a glimpse.

It was a parade. A gathering of instrumentalists marched down the street in rows, dancers performed right in front of the sidewalk, and a stir of excitement filled the air.

"Oh man, I can't believe I forgot that it was today," Sora said to himself.

"What is this?" Kairi asked Sora.

"They're presenting the Radiant Garden festival."

"Radiant Garden festival?"

"Today's the anniversary of Radiant Garden's establishment. Every year they have a festival dedicated to this day."

Kairi thought to herself as the parade ended—allowing all members of the public to fill the streets with participants of the Radiant Garden festival. Why had she never heard of such a festival? Perhaps it was because she constantly defied the possibilities of attending anything related to Radiant Garden if she were not allowed proper freedom. If it was anyone's fault, it was her own.

She lifted her head to see that Sora was already entering the fray. Couldn't that boy wait for just one measly second? She hurried herself to catch up. Sora's eyes were lost in an assortment of games and booths that surrounded him.

Kairi tugged on Sora's arm. "Can you not just walk away like that?"

"If you would just pay attention every once in a while instead of zoning out every five seconds—"

"How dare you use that tone with me!"

The two stop when they hear a gruff chuckle. They look to the side to see a musty old man staring at them inside one of the booths. "Ha! You guys're like an old married couple! Bickerin' 'bout nothin'. Just like me and my wife."

"Uh, yeah…" Sora trailed. "Well, we'll be on our way now."

"Hold yer horses!" he chirped. "How's about you try out this little pastime here? Knock down all three of these of bottles with this 'ere ball, and you win a plushie!"

Sora didn't have time for this. He had a sister to go find. The fact that he allowed himself to be distracted up to even this small amount wasn't good. "No thank you, sir. We're—" Sora stopped when he noticed Kairi gaping at one of the plushie dolls. It was white and stubby. Its eyes seemed like they were closed and a string aroused at the top of its head where a red ball rested. Another big pink ball was used as its nose.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything so _cute!_"

Sora knew where this was going. Who knew Kairi had a child-like innocence to her? Nonetheless, this was all filler. They needed to get a move on. "Come on, Kai. We need to get going."

She turned to him. The twinkles in her eyes were about to make Sora implode. "But _Sora," _she cooed. "It's _so _cute!"

"It's a doll with a fat ass nose! What the hell is so cute about it?!" He pinched in between his eyes with frustration.

The man chuckled. "That's the Moogle doll. It's pretty popular with the girls, whether they're little kids or teenagers."

How annoying. Sora understood that this man was just doing his job but, "Kairi—no."

"But—"

"NO."

"Sora, you're starting to piss me off…"

"I honestly don't care."

Kairi marched over to him and yanked him by the ear. "Listen here frog, this may be the only time I'll ever be able to spend time outside of the castle walls freely, so you had better fucking get me that damn Moogle doll before I kick your scrawny ass!"

Despite lacking strength voluntarily, Kairi could pack a punch when irritated. If he wanted to get going, the best thing to do would be to just give it a shot and get it over with. Trying to squirm his way out of it would just waste more time. Sora gave in as he shoved Kairi to the side.

"Fine!" He turned to the salesman. "I want a shot for the Moogle."

"I knew you couldn't resist. That'll be ten munny."

The two immediately gulped. "Munny?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, no shit."

"But uh—we don't have any on us," Sora hummed. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Hm, that so? Sorry kid. Can't let ya participate."

Kairi hit Sora upside the head. Again. "You idiot! How could you forget to tell me to get some munny!"

"Oh, _sorry,_" he replied sarcastically. "I would have thought the munny business would have been in your department, _P__rincess_!" Sora figured it was safe for him to still call her princess. People would most likely just take it as his pet name towards her and not consider that she's actually the princess.

"You. Are. Infuriating!"

Sora groaned. This was going to be a long day. Sora walked ahead and Kairi wordlessly followed behind. Sora stopped in the middle of the road and began observing the area. Kairi didn't know what he was doing, nor did she care enough to bother asking so she just sat tight and waited for his instruction.

His instruction? Was she going soft? Since when did a peasant ever tell her what to do? Sure, it was more of his environment—his world—so naturally he'd be best fit to take the role of the leader, but still.

"Hey," he said as he pulled her out of her thoughts. "It's way too crowded down here, so we're gonna have to head up top."

She raised a brow. "What do you mean by that?"

Sora pointed upwards. "We need to go on the rooftops. It'll be much faster that way."

"What is this? The jungle?"

"You rather walk around town with a bunch of lowly peasants instead?"

She sighed. "Fine. But for the record, you are the worst tour guide ever."

Sora mindlessly walked forward, not paying attention to what was in front of him. "Sticks and stones." He bumped into someone. They had on a black coat.

"Sorry, dude," Sora said. He squinted. "Have we met before?"

The mysterious figure didn't respond. He only shook his head as he ran through the crowd without a word.

"What was that all about?" Kairi asked.

"That's Radiant Garden in a nutshell. You never know what to expect."

Lest did the two teenagers know, they were being watched. Nearby one of the food stands stood a man wearing a white dress shirt and silver hair.

* * *

A knock was heard from the door in the main foyer. Merlin didn't even bother shifting from its sound waves as he slept obnoxiously on the throne. Naminé came running out of the kitchen holding onto her dress quick and quiet so that the wizard didn't hear. She opened the door to reveal a man in a black coat waiting for her—his face discarded deep within the hood.

"It's about time you showed up," Naminé said as the black coat walked inside. He didn't respond as he ran his way upstairs. "Hey!" Naminé locked the door. She sprinted into the kitchen to turn off the faucet.

Naminé tiptoed out of the kitchen, making sure she didn't wake Merlin up from his post, and hastily made her way upstairs. Once she reached the second floor, the mysterious man stood there waiting for her with his arms crossed.

Naminé frowned. "You know, you can be quite the handful, you know that?"

He shrugged.

"Well, at least you were able to make it."

They heard footsteps coming from the hall down the left. It was Riku, and he had Flame beside him. Naminé grabbed the black coat's hand and ran the other way before the silver headed boy could spot them.

"It's just around the corner," she huffed.

They turned the corner. Naminé stood in front a door with a bold label titled **Kairi Estheim** located on the front. She dug in her pockets until she found a key. She unlocked the door and entered, pulling the black coat in as well. Without hesitation, she locked the door once again. She let out a restricted breath. "Finally…"

The black coat examined the room. He hadn't been there in such a long time; the area was almost foreign to him. Naminé came up from behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back.

"What's wrong? You seem a little overwhelmed."

He had every right to be.

"Let me see your face…" Naminé requested. She walked to the front of him so that she could pull his hood down. Under that hood revealed a boy no older than sixteen. He had spiky golden blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. His expression wore melancholy. "Roxas—sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I can't do this, Naminé," he finally spoke. "Not in her room."

"You have a better place in mind? I don't have the key to any other rooms."

"Yeah, but… this just seems a little underhanded, don't you think? It's bad enough we did this once."

"Look," Naminé said with a stern face. "Kairi is _never _gone from home these days. This is a golden opportunity to spend some time together. We may not ever get a chance like this again."

"You make it sound like we have the house all to ourselves or something."

"I wish. Then we _wouldn't _have to be in here."

Roxas chuckled, but it wasn't a happy one. "I'm terrible. Look at me, I'm with the girl of my dreams and yet I feel miserable because the only place we can be together is in the room of the girl I was supposed to marry."

Roxas sat down on Kairi's bed, his eyes attached to the carpet below him. Naminé sat with him. "The heart wants what the heart wants."

"How has Kairi been?"

"Well," Naminé trailed. She didn't want to tell him that she turned into a total bitch ever since what he did to her.

"It's not good, huh?" He looked so hopeless… remorseful. "I never should have done that to her."

"I think she's gotten over you. It's just that the anger remains inside of her. On the bright side, she does have someone else."

"Someone else?" Roxas asked. "Is he a lover?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Far from it. But I have a feeling that he's just what she needs to help turn her back into her old self. You know, before you fucked her up."

"I didn't ask for your clarification."

Naminé giggled.

"So, what's this guy like?"

Naminé rolled her eyes just thinking about Sora, but the smile never left her face. "He's stubborn, rude, arrogant, doesn't take crap from anybody, and he's probably given Kairi the most stress she's ever had in just a couple of weeks."

"He's sounds like a riot."

"He is. Even with all of that, he's very smart, especially for someone of his background. He even caught me slipping. He's pretty down to earth, but don't piss him off either."

"Where is this guy?"

"He's the reason why we get to have this alone time. He took Kairi with him to go find his sister. He's a colleague of mine, even though he doesn't seem to trust me. But I love talking to him. He's the only one worth having a conversation with in this castle. But only when you're not around, baby."

"Nice recovery," Roxas smirked.

"He actually reminds me of you. Come to think of it, you two look very similar."

"It's probably just a coincidence. It's a small world, am I right?"

"The fact that you said it's just a coincidence probably means it's anything but a coincidence."

"It's not like I have any brothers or sisters. At least, none that I'm aware of." Roxas raked a hand through his hair. "So, what's this guy like when he's around Kairi? Sounds to me like they don't get along very well."

She tapped her chin. "Well, they actually claim they hate each other. And they do, but… they're… what's the word?" Sora and Kairi did hate each other, but not as much as they tried to let on. If they hated each other so much, then why would they even bother spending the whole day together? Deep down there was something there. "They're close."

"Close, huh?" Roxas said as he scratched his hair. "I just hope this guy has what it takes to repair the damage I've done. She didn't deserve that."

Naminé rested her arm on his shoulder. He glanced at her to see her giving him a slight smile. It was her way of telling him that it was all going to be okay.

"Naminé," he husked. He felt like he hadn't properly seen her beautiful face in so long. He closed in with his mouth slightly parted and she didn't hesitate to return the favor until they crashed lips. After what had been what felt like forever, they were finally back together.

Their kisses were stimulated with emotion. Tongues slipped in and out. Their body temperature became one. Naminé took the bonnet out, letting her hair fall freely. She tossed the bonnet to the side as if it were the most unimportant thing in the world to her. As they mutually deepened their kiss, Naminé slowly unzipped Roxas's black coat. She didn't even get to the halfway mark before he stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

Roxas began giving her a trail of kisses down her neck, rewarded with moans and signals of her pleasures all the while. She could feel his smirk.

"It's been too long since we've last done this, Nami…"

She moaned again—it was her way of agreeing with him. Roxas began discreetly pulling down her shoulder sleeves. Her cleavage was beginning to tease him. Both of her shoulders were now exposed, he pulled back for a second to get a quick look.

The sight of her was amazing. It was as if she were glowing. That sultry expression on her face only did more to get him going.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked playfully. "I want you."

Roxas immediately realized what he was doing and stopped himself. He stood up from the bed and covered his eyes with the palm of his hand. Naminé silently cursed to herself. She was way too horny for her own good right now, and it was going to kill her if she didn't get off soon. But she understood what kind of conflict Roxas had to be going through.

"I can't do this, Naminé. Not in her room. It's just—it's—it's not right."

"So, what? You come all this way and you can't even make love to me?"

He groaned. "Can't we at least go into the basement or something? Loving you is not what's killing me—it's the environment."

Naminé stood behind him. "Roxas, this is the only chance we get. We have to take advantage of it."

To him, he had no right to be in this castle. He had no right to be in her room and especially not with Naminé. He was dishonoring them every step he took. Here he was with a beautiful girl, a soft, comfortable bed at his disposal—but did he deserve it? No.

How could he have betrayed Kairi like that? He never thought he would have had it in him, but like Naminé said—the heart wants what the heart wants. His heart desired the maid, it _longed _for her. The only way to keep himself from going crazy was to run away and never come back so that he could find his light.

But with every light, there was a darkness lurking. Roxas had stress to relieve himself of, and Naminé was willing to partake as his stress reliever. Would he really pass up that opportunity?

Consider this his final act of selfishness.

He turned around and locked lips with Naminé once again. The two proceeded back to the bed where they fell atop of softly. Their lips didn't part as they worked with each other's clothes, attempting to peel them off.

Naminé unzipped his long black coat at last, and didn't hesitate to grab him by his crotch, gently rubbing against his manhood. God, he was so ready. Roxas threw his coat away carelessly, leaving him in only black tights. He practically ripped Naminé's maiden dress open to get to her undergarments. She had no bra, but her panties were dormant on her—white and moist. Roxas kicked off his boots as he and Naminé slid under the covers, the boy on top. They parted lips and stared at each other one last time.

"Roxas," she breathed. "I love you so much."

He smirked. "I love you too, fella."

She hit him against the chest playfully before they resumed their clash of kisses.

_ "Why the hell are you helping us?" he whispered._

_Naminé rolled her eyes. "Do you have to question me every time I do something nice for you?"_

_"Oh, sorry, didn't I make it clear that I'm fully aware of the fact that you only help others when it's of your benefit?"_

_"You make me sound like a witch."_

_"I don't think you want me to retort on that."_

_Naminé sighed. "Fine. I just needed the place to myself for a little while. You and Kairi are conveniently leaving right when I need you to. So, I'm trying to get you two closet lovers out of my hair."_

_"Why do you want to get us out of the palace?"_

_"I just have some cleaning to catch up on and I would prefer if the princess wasn't around. She's always getting in the way of things."_

_Was he supposed to believe that? "That's a pretty lame excuse, especially for you. I thought you were better than that, Naminé."_

_Naminé shrugged. "But it's gonna get you out of the house, right?"_

_Kairi and Riku looked at each other awkwardly, being left alone by Sora and Naminé. They didn't know what to say to each other. Riku rubbed the back of his head and gave a small wave. "Hi, how are ya?"_

_Growing impatient, Kairi tapped her foot and crossed her arms. Why was Sora giving that accursed maid all of his attention so suddenly? Did he forget about Kairi?_

_"Hey!" Kairi's voice penetrated through their conversation. "Quit dawdling, you two! Sora, did we forget about our plans or would you rather arrange secret dates with the maid?"_

_Sora and Naminé ignored Kairi's jab and returned to the conversation._

_"I don't know what you're planning, but I got my eye on you and whatever scheme you're boiling. Lucky for you, Xion's way more important to me. Consider today a pass—but a fair warning."_

_Naminé smirked. "Likewise, partner. You have nothing to worry about."_

_He got the feeling that wasn't the case. Sora and Naminé quickly return to Kairi and Riku before the princess decided to cause any more outbursts._

_"Sorry, we just had some things to review," Naminé said, shifting personalities in a millisecond. Sora was still impressed by that. "Shall we attach the wig, Princess?"_

_Kairi snatched the wig from Riku. "Give me that!" Naminé and Kairi reentered the princess's room. Kairi slammed the door shut before giving the two boys a scowl._

_Kairi let out a sigh. "Let's get this over with." _

"_Of course, Princess." Naminé went into her pocket and pulled out a bald cap. She handed it to Kairi. "Let me just braid your hair. It'll only take a minute. But wait, I need to get something out of the drawer." _

"_Yeah, yeah, hurry it up, Maid." _

_Naminé walked over to Kairi's dresser. She had to get something alright; it was the key to this room that rested atop Kairi's jewelry box. She shoved it down her pocket._

"_Okay, now let's get that hair braided."_

* * *

**No Xion just yet guys but she will be here very soon! I know most of you really want to see her but we just have a little bit more to go before we finally get to see her again. **

**Assuming that we do O_O **

**I had to end up splitting this into two chapters. If I didn't, this chapter would have been a million years long. But I should be able to get the next one out very soon because I'm gonna start on it tonight, I promise!**

**Shoutout time! **

**Shoutout to three of my friends on this site: **

**KittyKat1217 (she claims she invented the fucktarded fucker line I had last chapter -_- bitch)**

**Princess-Xion **

**blissfulnightrain - Go check out her story, guys! It's called "A Date with my Best Friend's Sister(s)" It's a pretty good story and funny too! Here's the summary: **

Everyone's busy this Saturday night, except Riku. The girl he's been seeing, Sora's sister, is stuck babysitting. Looks like it's going to be a night alone. That is, until Sora comes up with a suggestion:"Just go to my house and surprise her...Maybe pick up some flowers or something for her on the way. Girls love that romantic crap. I'm sure my sister does, too!" AUish/Riku POV.

**So yeah, please fav, follow, and review! I thank everybody who's been supporting me and this story so far! **


	12. One Step at a Time

"Stand your ground, men! Be ready for anything," Hope demanded as he walked down the row of his honorary soldiers. They were lined up against the walls that protected Radiant Garden. There had to be a few dozen of them. "Keep your eyes and ears alert at all times. Master Xehanort is an unpredictable man, and he will do anything to get what he wants."

"Sir," one of the soldiers piped, "do you think that maybe some of us should search the town? If he's that unpredictable like you say he is then perhaps he's already found a way in."

"But that's impossible. We've been on this coast all morning. We would have seen him by now."

"It's better to be safe than sorry."

He had a point. From the last war, Hope learned a very important message about being aware of Master Xehanort. His impulsiveness was frightening. He turned to his wife behind him. "Claire, what do you think we should do?"

Her eyes were blank. The words being tossed into the air went into one ear and out the other. Concerned, Hope walked over to Claire as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Honey, are you okay?"

His voice brought her back to life. "Oh, uh—sorry. I was just… thinking."

"Is everything okay, sweetie?" Hope asked sincerely.

"Yeah, is everything okay, sweetie?" asked a feminine voice that sounded too similar for comfort. Claire turned to her right to see Lightning giving her a twisted smirk. The Queen took a few steps back as she sheltered her eyes.

"Claire? What's wrong?"

Claire looked up from her palms to see Hope standing all alone, worried for good reason. Her hands slid down her cheeks until they reached her sides. "Nothing, I'm just tired. I didn't get enough sleep last night." Keep riding with poor excuses and you'll run into a wall. This hallucination needed to stop. Right now.

"If you're tired, I can have one of my men take you back home."

Back home where she'll be haunted by the images of herself playing mind games? "I'm fine."

"Claire—"

"I said I'm okay!"

Hope raised his hands defensively. "Okay."

Claire raised a hand and placed it on her humid forehead. Her muscles loosened immediately. Her brain banged against her inner walls, as if trying to bust its way out. She collapsed onto ground—Hope and the soldiers immediately surrounded her unconscious body. Hope took her upper body into his arms.

"Claire!"

One of the soldiers beckoned the others back with hand motions. "Stand back, men! Give them some room!"

Hope shook his spouse but her eyes made no reaction. "Claire! Claire, wake up!"

"What do we do, sir?"

Hope sighed. "You won't have to do anything. Merlin might know how to fix this. I'm taking her back home."

* * *

Taking a step can be complicated.

Taking the wrong steps can cause a serious hurdle in ones verve in life itself. It's not talked about much, but stepping on one crack—_one _paltry crack—can cause an abruption of fire to be poured onto an existence, an abundance of evident pain.

There are many types of steps; steps in a relationship, steps in life, steps in jobs—and there are the more literal interpretations such as walking. Taking a step to make sure you don't fall.

The princess could most definitely relate. But she never thought that her philosophy would be within the context of something as ludicrous as this; walking atop numerous buildings that watched over the streets of Radiant Garden with every step.

"This is insanitary!" Kairi complained. She took one glance at the ground below and blood rushed to her head. Despite her fear of heights, the scene up above was actually quite beautiful. The sun was in clear view as the horizon of what seemed to be an endless captivity of rooftops was a sight she never thought she may have one day saw. But here she was, and whether she wanted to admit it or not—she kind of owed it to the boy in front of her.

But did they _have _to run around on the rooftops? This was beyond uncomfortable.

"Sora, you're crazy! How can you be so serene when we're sixty feet in the air?"

Sora stopped once he reached the edge of the building they were scaling across. He turned to her. "You just have to relax."

"Relax?" she asked incredulously. She walked up next to him, taking a look at the faraway pavement down below. Her pupils shrunk. "How can I relax? If I end up tripping over myself, I'm gonna be a big red stain on the pavement for god's sake!"

There was a big gap between them and the next building. Sora spotted a long plank conveniently lying nearby. "If you're not relaxed, you're going to be nervous. And when you're nervous, you're going to end up making some kind of goofy mistake. Only difference is, you make a goofy mistake in this territory—and you're a goner."

"Not helping!"

Sora attempted to pick up the large plank, but it proved to be a two man's job. "Could you give me a hand here?"

"Why should I have to? You're supposed to be the hero."

Sora sighed, accepting his predictable lack of assistance as he used the brunt of his strength to take a hold of the wood until its physique was vertical. Sora set it down so that it reached just across to the next building. Perfect.

"As I was saying," he said as he dusted off his hands, "the key to overcoming fears is to look them straight in the eye and spit in their faces. To do that, you just have to relax." Sora took a few steps back, an adventurously mischievous smirk painted on his face.

Kairi welled up with worry. "Sora… what are you doing?"

He sprinted towards the plank as he hurdled himself into the air with a gravity defying somersault. Kairi watched in amazement as Sora landed on the flat timber in perfect form.

"Sora!" she gasped.

Sora stood up on one foot, his arms spread. "All it takes is one step at a time. Don't think about the bad stuff that can happen—all you have to do is think about the goal. And right now, our goal is to make it across."

"Yeah, but what you just did was borderline suicide!"

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't trying to just showoff back there, but his point still stood. "What I'm getting at is to just let things come to you. Don't worry about it. You can do this."

"But—it's scary…"

"You can't live your life in fear. If that's the case, then what's the point of living?" She remained unsure. Did he truly mean these words or was she being fed bullshit? "Take my hand."

She reluctantly did as told as he pulled her up onto the boardwalk. She staggered for a few moments before he placed his palm atop her head. She gave him a sheepish smile before taking in a few breaths. Just breathe, Kairi… just breathe.

"I think I can do this," she admitted.

He nodded in approval. "Good. Then let's get moving." Sora walked effortlessly across. It was like he was simply walking on the street. Kairi took a peek at down below and let out a high pitched squeal. Don't look down! She extended her arms outward as she made her way across the boardwalk, shutting her eyes. All she heard were the squawks of the birds seeping above her along with the current of the sensitive breeze.

She opened her eyes to be greeted with Sora's grin. "See? I told ya you could do it."

She realized that she was—in fact—officially at the building parallel from where she just was. She never thought she would have had it in her to do something as dangerous as that. The thrill of it was actually quite exhilarating.

"I _did _do it, didn't I? Wow, that was a wild ride! Do you do stuff like that all the time?"

He laughed. "All the time, and then some. This isn't even half of the stuff of what I had to go through. On a scale of one to ten that measures epicness, I'd say what we just did would be about a three."

"A three?" If _that _was a three, she wasn't too delighted to find out what a ten was.

"You need to get out more, Princess. You could use the fresh air."

"What do you think I've been trying to tell my parents for the last sixteen years?"

"Well, doesn't matter now, Kairi. I'm here to show you what life's really all about."

"Who gave you permission to call me by my first name, anyway?" He had been doing it all day, and she let it go most of the time—but she didn't want him thinking they were buddies or anything.

He scoffed. "Please. Like I need permission." His smug look made the princess want to punch him in the nose.

"Who do you think you are? Chosen one or not, you're still just a slimy little peasant."

He rolled his eyes. "Just when I thought there might be some hope for you…" he murmured.

She bent over to showcase her ear towards him, gesturing him to speak up. "What was that?" she asked almost threateningly.

He simply shook his head as he turned around and continued pressing on. Kairi whipped her hair back before she followed behind.

* * *

_Dearly Beloved, _

_You fell asleep. Not that I'm surprised. You must be exhausted from having to mop floors all day. Such delicate hands don't deserve such prattle. It was great seeing you again. It's been—what—almost eight months? Communicating with you through letters isn't how I painted our relationship in my head, but this is the reality of it. I can't take it being away from you. I can't stand it. Sometimes, the only ways I can get some sleep is by looking at the portrait of you that you painted for me. You truly are an amazing artist. I know, I've told you that a million times—but it's well deserved. _

_Anyway, I'm rambling again. Forgive me. It's not easy for me to do this. I really hate that it has to be this way but I can't stay. You know very well why. Obviously, I'll be caught by the King. I wish I could see them again, just once more so that I could give them my blessings. They were so kind to me, but after what I did to their daughter—they probably don't even want to see my face. My usefulness has grown numb here. Even though nobody except you and I know that I'm here, I can't help but feel unwelcomed. It's a shame that I've downgraded to such depression. But I have a goal, and quite frankly, I won't accomplish it by staying here. I've been traveling all over the world, but not a trace of the man I've set out to kill. _

_Master Xehanort. _

_Why am I telling you all of this? You already know how much I loathe him. I can't relax until I've found him—and put an end to him. Perhaps after then, I can finally go home. Perhaps then, I won't have to endure all of this pain. Perhaps then… we can finally be wedded. Especially since you insist that Kairi has moved on, hopefully the guilt will evaporate. But I don't think it will until I see a smile on that girl's face. Only then will I know that it's safe to love you. But not even guilt can keep me from loving you, beautiful. If anyone is a princess, it's you. You are everything to me. The day we can truly be together will come, and I swear it on my father's grave. But you wouldn't want to marry me now. My mind has been corrupted with insecurities and vengeance. I'm a train wreck, plain and simple. I'm in no condition to be romantically involved with anyone right now. The fact that I even came to see you despite how much I'm screwed up in the head is an insult to your exquisiteness and…_

_Maybe I'm just being selfish. I can't tell anymore. Me—the most selfish man in the whole entire fucking world. Catchy, right? It brings an uncomfortable twist to my stomach, too. You know what they say? The truth hurts. But who am I to contrast the difference between the truth and a lie? I'm getting to the point where I don't even know who I am anymore. This little quest of mines may help me find out who it is that I really am. That alone will clear up so many dents in our relationship. I want to be with you when I can finally let myself go again. I hope we can create gorgeous memories once we commit. Until we meet again, I'll spend all of my days loving you. _

_Love, _

_Roxas Hikari _

He placed the pen down on the table. Roxas's face was discarded under his hood. He turned around and saw his lover sleeping soundly on the mattress. He caressed his hand into her wondrous blonde hair. He used the back of his fingers to gently stroke her cheeks. The faint smile on her lips offered him a sensation. He didn't know why, or how, but somehow he was able to make this girl the happiest woman on the planet just by being around her. He didn't know what was so special about him, but he was sure glad to have it.

He lightly kissed her on the lips. Roxas's heart almost exploded into bubbles as her smile grew even wider and clung to his arm, all the while still unconscious. Oh god, how much he wanted to stay by her side right now. It hurt so much to leave, not knowing whether or not he would be able to come back or even see her ever again, but he had to. There would be no point in being in a commitment when he was mentally not ready to commit.

Roxas decided it'd be best to escape out of the back. After gently removing his arm out of Naminé's unaware grasp, he lifted Kairi's window, gave his beloved one last gaze probed with admiration, and swooped his way out into the garden. He rolled over on the grass, making sure none of the guards were in sight. He made his way over to the palace walls. Using the strength that lay in his calf, he was able to practically run over the top of the barrier until he landed on the ground below. He wasted no time returning to Radiant Garden.

* * *

He overlooked the buildings. It seemed that the abandoned library was still a strong twenty minutes away from their current destination. Were they even going the right way at this point? Sora took his backpack off his shoulders. He unzipped it as he began digging his hands throughout it. There had to be a map in there somewhere—he vividly remembered placing one inside.

Behind him, Kairi was standing indolently. Her arms were crossed as her hips cocked to the side a little bit. Her eyes wandered up to the afternoon sky. The sun seemed brighter when actually outside. Kairi had spent so much time indoors that she almost forgot the feeling of being invested into nature's atmosphere. The air gave off a scent of pines. The buzzing of a very obnoxious sounding horse fly disrupted her lackadaisical drift. "Gross!"

Her hands acted as human fly swatters as she whisked her palm all over the place. The insect orbited around her body at such fast succession, she could land a single hit.

Her feet almost subconsciously began walking backwards as her eyes were shut tight, continuously batting her arms around trying to kill that pesky insect. She could still hear its wings drone through the darkness of her eyelids. It was driving her crazy. "Sora! Kill the beast!"

Sora pulled out the map of Radiant Garden, lifting it in triumph. "Gotcha!" He felt Kairi bump into him, catching him off guard. He ended up being pushed forward slightly, allowing his backpack to trip over the edge of the building. "NO!" he cried as he reached his hand out to grab it, but it was too late. The bag plummeted down to the ground below.

Kairi turned around and looked below to see the backpack all the way at the bottom of the alleyway, the fruit jumbled into one big flat, juicy sludge painted across the pavement. Kairi noticed that the fly made its way off into the sky, as if its job had been completed. "You little bitch…" she muttered.

She turned to her right to be hit with Sora's glare. They had now officially lost all of their refreshments because of her.

"Well, it's not my fault!" the princess protested.

He rolled his eyes. "Really? Well then how exactly is this not your fault? Please, enlighten me!"

She pointed the insect fluttering away from the scene. "It was that thing's fault! It wouldn't leave me alone!"

Sora sighed. "It's just a fly. How does _that _get you so scared that you'd—you know what? Forget it." Arguing was a disruption of his focus. It was a guard against the goal of reaching Xion, and at least he still had the map.

Kairi tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh, Sora…?"

He turned around to see her rubbing her stomach, an almost embarrassingly apologetic expression. Oh no, please don't say what he thinks you're going to say!

"Um—I'm hungry."

FUCK!

"You just made me drop everything we had. What do you want me to do about it now?"

She scoffed. "I don't know—_something. _Aren't you the thief around here?"

That was right, but he figured she wouldn't approve. "You're willing to break the law to get something to eat?"

She shrugged. "If you're as excellent of a thief as you let on, then I have nothing to worry about. Or is it that you've lost your touch?" she teased.

True, he hadn't had to scuff provisions in a few weeks, but it had been a while since he last put his skill to good use. He smirked mischievously. "You're on."

Master Xehanort, still clad in his dress shirt and grey coat, used his eyes to scope the area. This accursed festival hindered him from walking through town as promptly as he would have preferred to. His thorough investigation for a spot to unleash his heartless furtively turned into him desperately keeping his detachment from the annoyingly joyful citizens of the town.

He almost tripped over himself as two little kids—a boy and a girl—zipped past his legs, laughs escaping them. He growled, but decided to not make a scene. These children would be crying tears of fear with what he had in mind.

Xehanort came to a pause when he noticed proverbial spiky hair walking through the town with some girl with raven hair cut short. To say this was convenient was an understatement. He had spotted them earlier, but suddenly lost track of them. Xehanort began checking out something at one of the booths, all the while keeping an eye locked tight on the kid and his little friend.

Sora and Kairi, unaware that they were being watched yet again, ducked behind one of the corners. Sora had his eye on the man by the stand selling anpan in front of the Sachi Bakery. He scouted the area to find anything that might be of his advantage.

"What's taking so long?!" Kairi asked.

This reminded him of the time he let Xion come with him on one of his missions to obtain them something to eat. Except this time he had a massive bitch as his associate. "Rule number one, you've got to learn patience."

She groaned. "Telling someone to have patience is an excuse to waste time! I'm starving!" she bellowed right into his ear.

"Well then, SHUT UP!" he yelled right back. She took the ever so subtle hint and sat back, maintaining her threateningly dirty look.

Sora resumed scouting the area, ignoring all of Kairi's groans and complaints. He noticed the anpan salesman fawning his eyes over any attractive woman that passed him by, not even attempting to keep things restrained or subtle.

The salesman had a patch over his left eye. His ears were keen, his eyebrows upturned, and his dark hair with numerous grey streaks tied into a long ponytail.

He gave a lewd look to a passing female. "Hey, sweet sweet, how bout you come over here and cop some bread, huh? Free of charge if you give me a kiss." He puckered his lips. She only laughed at his poor attempt before strutting past.

A young girl stood behind him with her arms crossed disapprovingly.

"What?" the salesman asked, honest to god confused why his stepsister was getting all bitchy at a time like this. He didn't do anything.

"If I've not told you once, I've told you a million times that you need to learn how to show respect towards women. They are not just sex objects, you know?"

The girl, who appeared to be around Sora and Kairi's age, had long, thick black hair that was slick down to the foundation. It prompted admiration and aroused the idea of strict grooming. Green eyes looked at the salesman with irritation. She puffed out a somnolent pant—grown used to his shenanigans. "You're a real jerk, you know that? How are you ever going to get a girlfriend with that sleazy attitude?"

Xigbar sneered. "Hey, they may not like to admit it—but chicks dig the dirty talk. It turns them on. Not to mention my good looks," he said as he used his hand to slick his hair back. He felt the brunt of his stepsister's boot hit his shin. He jumped on one leg while grasping it, letting out comical yelps of pain.

"What'd you do that for?"

"You deserved it," she deadpanned. She gasped. "Oh! I forgot about the new batch of anpan! They must be done by now!"

He rolled his eyes. "You're so ditzy. Why the hell did Mom leave _you _in charge of cooking when you can't even get your shit together?"

He received another kick to the shin before she shifted back inside of the local bakery. The salesman was about to chase after her and let her have it—but let it go once he saw another fine honey strutting past his anpan stand. He whistled to her. "Well, _helloooo _nurse!"

Sora figured he could use this guy to his advantage. He noticed a perch sticking out from the bakery behind the booth. It was just above the salesman. He took a look at Kairi and stared at her physique. She had a nice body. Hopefully she was enough to subdue that flirtatious salesman's needs. She noticed his gawking.

"What's your problem?"

"I have a plan. This is how we're doing this. I'm gonna be hung up on that perch. What I need you to do is distract that salesman."

She raised a brow. "And just how do I do that?"

"It's simple, really," he smirked before whispering to her ear. When he backed up, she felt repulsed.

"No way! Nuh uh! Never!"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's not like I asked you to get in bed with him."

"You may as well have! With that kind of plan, he might end up dragging me to his place!" She crossed her arms. "I shall not sacrifice my dignity for such a shameless indulgence."

"Fine, then I guess we're gonna have to press on with you on an empty stomach."

"I guess so."

Wow, she actually didn't budge this time. Was she that afraid to do something like that? Xion would have done it. It seemed trivial to him.

"Don't be a bitch. All you have to do is flaunt the goods a little bit. Show him a little somethin'."

Kairi snuck a peek at her breasts. "You think he'd even think I have enough goods to please him?"

So this was all just insecurities. That made more sense. "Kairi, you have a—" Sora stopped himself when he realized that in order to get her to do anything, he had to compliment her. He didn't know much about women, but he knew one thing was that they loved compliments. Kairi was full of herself enough already, he didn't want to inflate her ego any further, but for the sake of getting some food, he'd have to. He was starting to get a little famished himself.

She perked her ear up. "What was that?"

"Kairi, you have a perfectly fine body," he said in a low tone, "he'd be an idiot not to like it."

"You're just saying that."

"No I'm not," he was, "just try it. I'm sure if you can get him distracted enough, I can slip behind him and grab some anpan for us." Sure, she did have a nice body but it was killing him to have to admit it aloud.

"You really think I have that good of a body?" She moved closer to him, a twinkle in her eye. Sora had never seen her act like this.

He avoided eye contact as he rubbed the back of his head. "Y-Yeah, sure… why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

"Aunt Serah used to hang around me all the time when I took rides out into Radiant Garden when I was a kid. Serah was allowed to actually walk around town, but I wasn't, and boys would fawn over like she was the best thing to walk on two long, scaly legs. I figured that I had no sex appeal because of that." She let out a breath and smiled with determination. "Okay, I'll do it."

"Good," Sora said, still not looking at her in the eyes. "I'll give you the signal."

He walked casually across the street, whistling innocently, not gaining a glance from the public. He leaned against the wall against the building right behind the booth. That salesman didn't even no he existed. Hopefully, it'd stay that way.

When no eyes were attentive, he quickly climbed up a pipe that was clung to the building. Once at the appropriate height, he leaped over to the perch and bent down. He had a clear view of the man and the display of bread. He gave Kairi the look, and she nodded.

Kairi stood up, dusted herself off, and did a few other things to make sure her appearance was as on point as it could be for a peasant. She walked towards the salesman, trying to imitate the way she had seen her aunt strut numerous times—wasn't working too well. Fortunately, she still had enough pride to reach the stand unscathed.

At her arrival, the salesman was already groveling at her appearance. Perky breasts, slim figure, firm ass—he could work with this, most definitely.

"Hiya doin', sweetheart?"

Her eyes widened. "Sweetheart?!" She noticed Sora giving her the red alert. "Oh, I mean uh—yeah, I just wanted to, um, see if you could hook a girl up with this, uh—anpan here, uh, big boy."

Sora used his palm to hit himself in the face.

Surprisingly, the salesman didn't seem to even notice how awkward she was. He was too busy staring at her assets. "Yeah, no problem, good-looking." He filled a plastic bag with some anpan, not once taking an eye off of her.

Sora gave Kairi a signal to hurry this up.

"Hey, uh, we should uh—you know, hang out some time…" her smile lied.

Was this the man's lucky day? He never had a girl ask him out before, and not this easily. "Sure!" he said excitedly. He maintained his composure and cool. "I mean, sure. Whatever. I'm free all the time. Name's Xigbar, how about you?"

"Uh—" she darted her eyes around the area. She needed to find something fast. Her eyes set themselves on the anpan. "Annie Panella."

"Annie Panella?" It sounded like such an unusual name. "Okay, Annie. Where do you stay?"

Kairi walked to the side while gesturing him over. "Come over here so I can tell you. I like, uh, standing in the sun. It helps me relax."

Xigbar shrugged. "Makes sense." He followed like a lost puppy.

Sora got into action. He landed behind the cart and picked up as many anpan as he could pick up from the stash. Kairi kept a close eye on him. As soon as Sora left, she was going to cut this guy off and pretend she automatically lost interest in him. Sora turned around and noticed that the girl from earlier was standing in the door's frame holding a fresh new sheet of anpan, her eyes widened to Sora's unfamiliarity. The boy froze like a deer caught red handed by headlights. He had to act fast as he quickly set his stolen bread to the side and placed his hand to the girl's mouth before she could warn her brother. As Xigbar rambled on about how sexy he found her, Kairi noticed Sora giving her the signal to wrap this up.

"You know what?" Kairi said, giving him a sheepish smile. "I don't think this is going to work out, so never mind."

"Really?" The disappointment hit him like a bullet, "It's okay. You're too young, and your boobs aren't even that big anyway. You might want to consider some kind of surgery on those, because dudes like 'em big and juicy."

Sora winced. He knew he shouldn't have said that. Kairi's cheeks fumed as smoke practically escaped her ears. One rule about Kairi was that you did _not _talk badly of her physical appearance.

"Listen here you illiterate cock! You do _not _speak to me in any kind of way as if I was of your kind! You had best treat me with respect or else I'll have your mother killed with the most excruciatingly slow and painful death possible, you hideous pirate! Who the hell do you think you are to comment on my breasts? You say I'm too young, but I bet if I hadn't rejected your stupid ass, you would have tried to fuck, you greasy pedophile! You better hope I don't find you sleeping by yourself because I won't hesitate to free the world from your existence and that's a promise! Do you understand me you brainless fucktarded retard? Go fuck yourself!"

People stopped to take a look at what seemed to be a fight about to commence. Xigbar didn't know what to do or say—but he knew she couldn't get away with that. "Officers!"

The local guards came running up as soon as possible.

"What's the problem here?"

"Dude, this girl, like, totally disrespected me when all I tried to do was sell her some bread."

Kairi scoffed. "No way, tell them the truth! You were going to take me back to your place and bust a nut!"

"She's lying, sirs!"

The officers preferred to take the side of the older teen. One of them brought out handcuffs. "Come with us, missy, you'll have to spend a night in jail for insolence against a common salesman."

The men took a hold of Kairi by each arm. "Y-You can't do that!" Oh, how she desperately wanted to declare that she was the princess. They'd surely unhand her then.

Sora sighed. Having Kairi around was going to be a hassle. Girl just couldn't stay out of trouble for anything. He released the girl from his hold and sprinted into the scene, whisking past the officers while grabbing Kairi by the wrist before they could chain her in the cuffs. "'Scuse me!"

The young girl couldn't help but feel empathy for that boy. Though, she didn't know why.

Off they went, pacing quickly through the masses that jumbled up in the account of the festival. The chase was on. Sora led the chase, Kairi simply followed and allowed him to lead her wherever his quick thinking took them.

There wasn't much to improvise with. They were surrounded by wide eyes wondering what could have happened to cause such a panorama. The cops weren't even that far behind. Sora had to run for four legs this time, and not just two—this made it harder for him to think of an escape plan. How could he manage thinking while making sure Kairi was okay? The only choice they had was to simply run like hell and hope for the best.

Sora turned his head for a split second to see how far of a distance they were from the authorities. He ended up bumping into a rock hard body. It was a young man with silver hair, but the face didn't strike familiarity.

"Sorry," Sora quickly sputtered before he ran back off tugging onto Kairi. Xehanort simply smirked at the expediency.

It wasn't before long before Sora and Kairi were surrounded by numerous dark creatures. He hadn't seen them since he and Claire went out to go find Hope. Xion had read up on the heartless, and if he recalled correctly, she informed him once that these were called Neoshadows.

"Those are the things from the castle!" Kairi announced.

Sora placed an arm in front of Kairi protectively. He outstretched his other arm ready to draw his Keyblade, readying himself to defend her at any cost. More so, his drive would be to simply survive another day—as long as he could see Xion again.

Before Sora could even unleash the Kingdom Key, one of the Neoshadows was detonated with a burst of lightning. Sora and Kairi whirled their heads to see where that attack could have come from. The princess looked at Sora in amazement. "How did you do that?!"

Sora checked himself out to see if he still looked the same and didn't evolve into some kind of rare species. "I don't—_think _I did anything!"

Out of seemingly nowhere, the girl from the bakery came hurdling down in a vertigo inducing somersault. She landed gracefully on the ground below, a Keyblade shining radiantly in her hand. She stood up and got into her stance.

"Don't you guys even sweat it, I got you covered!"

Kairi tugged on Sora's arm. "Come on, let's go!"

Sora was caught in the moment. Why was this girl, who he had never seen a day before in his life, now helping him for seemingly no reason? And the even better question, was why was it that he felt obligated to help back?

"Get to safety, Princess."

Her eyes provoked questions that needed to be answered. "What about you?"

"Fine, stay here then." Sora whipped out his Keyblade and took his stance next to the girl. Kairi figured she was out of place, so she took Sora's advice and ran into a nearby corner, watching from the sidelines. Luckily, the heartless's attention were too concentrated on the Keyblade wielders to worry about feeble victims such as Kairi or any other pedestrian for that matter.

The two Keyblade wielders stood attentively, waiting for someone to make a move.

"So, you seem to be a Keyblader as well, hm?" the girl asked, her lips pursed.

"Yeah. What's your story?"

"I think we might need to save that for later."

"Good idea."

One of the Neoshadows finally made a move as it lunged towards Sora. The rest of the heartless immediately followed as they attacked at full throttle. Sora didn't hesitate to swipe them with his Keyblade. A Neoshadow flung itself into the air, using its feet to pounce on Sora's chest. He was sent flying back until he hit the ground back first.

"Ugghh…" he groaned.

The mysterious lass was far from inexperienced. She battered the Neoshadows with complex Keyblade combinations. A Neoshadow attempted to get the jump on her, but she quickly ducked out of its way, pointed her Keyblade at it. She shot a spreading burst of large ice crystals. The heartless practically vanished.

Sora picked himself back up and noticed he was surrounded by three Neoshadows. He had to hurry and get them off his back. He struck them with his body unbalanced, legs buckling; the damage he gave off was a pathetic minimum. He was still able to get the job done. As he relieved himself of the three impending foes, two more came from behind to get the jump on him.

The girl wasn't having that as she swiftly kicked one of them out of the way before slashing the next with her Keyblade all in one smooth motion, killing it instantly. The remaining heartless lunged at her, but she only flipped into the air, landing on its back before pouncing into the air.

She lingered midair for a moment as she spun her Keyblade into a twist of hand movements. A magnetic vortex emerged from what seemed to be thin air as the whirlpool pulled the Neoshadows into one big joint of entangled weaves of darkness.

The teenager slowly descended from the air once the heartless were all gathered. As she fell, she pointed her blade upward at the suspended Neoshadows. Out of the tip of her blade, the rush of a large fireball came homing towards the amass—surmounting in a big explosion.

The girl landed on her feet without a scratch on her. She immediately made her way over to Sora and tended to him. "Hey, are you alright?"

Sora was speechless. "Uh, yeah—"

He cut himself off when the crowd surrounding them gave the girl a round of applause for such a commendable performance. That truly was impressive. Sora only wished he had such adroit ability. Master Xehanort scowled at the prospect from inside the mist of appreciative fools. Was this going to be another enemy for him to deal with? She must have been one of the seven lights.

The Keyblade Master looked at his hand, seeing a vapor of darkness beginning to disperse. He was running out of darkness to use at his disposal, hence he couldn't summon anymore Heartless. He'd just have to return to the lab and concoct a more stable recipe.

The girl waved to the overwhelming crowd with a shy smile. She wasn't used to receiving this much attention. She had kept her secret as a Keyblade wielder locked away from the public, but now that it was out in the open, her future seemed to be unfastened to anything yet still unpredictable.

Kairi ran out from the crowd, standing by Sora's side.

"You're really good!" Sora complimented, smiling. "How long have you been using that Keyblade?"

She took a look at the Keyblade that hadn't left her grasp. It was reminiscent of cresting waves, both along the shaft and at the teeth. A Wayfinder appeared at the top of the shaft within a black circle, surrounded by a cresting wave. The hilt had two heart-shaped openings. The handle and chain were both an ivory color.

"Since I was fourteen," she answered, "I'm seventeen now, though." No wonder she was that good, she had been practicing with it for three years now.

"All that practice paid off," he praised.

"Thank you. I call it the Brightcrest." After putting her Keyblade away, she stuck her hand out. "My name is Amaya Irino."

"Sora Yukana."

Kairi coughed obnoxiously.

"Oh yeah, and this is Annie Panella. She's just some slut who's always following me around worshiping my penis."

Kairi grabbed Sora by the ear. "Things would go by a lot better if you simply kept your mouth shut!" She offered Amaya a slight smile. "Sorry. Don't pay any attention to him."

Amaya waved it off. "Don't worry, I knew he was only joking. Where are you two headed?"

"Across town to the library," Sora answered.

Amaya chortled. "That old dump? Why would you be going there? It's been out of business for years now. On top of that, it's being torn down."

"Torn down?" Sora asked incredulously. That couldn't be, his sister was there—wasn't she? Kairi placed a reassuring hand on his back. He turned around to see her giving him a look he had never received from her before since he had met her—sympathy.

"Don't worry," the princess said.

Amaya was surprised with his reaction. Why was he so worried about that creepy old library? Perhaps he had some kind of nostalgic connection with it. "I'm sorry, is it something that important to you?"

"No, it's just," Sora took a deep breath, "we're a little off course at this point, so do you think you could lead us there?"

"Sure," Amaya said skeptically. "But do you think I might be able to get some exposition along the way?" A kid ran up to her with a pencil and paper in hand, requesting an autograph. She quickly scribbled her name on his paper as he giddied back to his family.

Sora was about to open his mouth, but Kairi beat him to the punch. "Someone very important to him may be in that area, so he's a little worried, that's all." She figured he needed a break from all the bullshit, the very least she could do was fill in for him.

"Oh, I see," Amaya said softly. She let her hand lay gently on his shoulder. "I'm sure they're going to be alright. No worries, I'll get you to where you're going."

His eyes were hallowed of optimism. "Okay."

"Come on. Let's get a move on before these people start a riot over me."

"Good idea," Kairi admitted.

The new found trio found a lane creased through the crowd and quickly ran through until they could spot a place of privacy. Sora and Kairi had no idea who this mysterious Amaya was, and if they could even trust her. But Sora was more concerned about something else…

Xion, where the hell are you?

* * *

**I am SOO tired right now, you don't even know! So if there are any grammar issues up there, someone, please tell me, but I'm just too exhausted to do anything about it now. blissfulnightrain, could you be a dear? :)**

**Edited as of 11/5/14**

**Speaking of blissfulnightrain, Amaya, the new character introduced in this chapter is hers, not mine! I take no credit for creating this character because I didn't make her. So why am I using someone elses OC? It's just all good fun! So blissful, tell me if you liked the way I portrayed her! I couldn't delve too deep into her personality into this one just yet, but that shall definitely be there next chap. **

**Still no Xion! I think I'm just trolling you guys at this point :P I didn't think this little arc would stretch to three chaps, but that's what it looks like it's going to have to come down to. **

**So anyway, thank you to everybody who's been supporting! Follow, fav, and review! **


	13. Connected

"So, how does it feel to be back inside of your body?"

Xemnas and Ansem sat on a sofa in Master Xehanort's lab. Ansem had arrived moments earlier. He needed a break after obtaining a recruit alongside Xaldin. The serene taste of every sip his wine bid him broke down barriers in his tension.

"I feel like a brand new me," Ansem finally answered. "When your grandfather drained my youth all those years ago, I slowly grew prone to insanity. Now that my thoughts have finally become manual for me to control, my darkness is starting to revitalize." He took his left fist and clenched it. A delicate aura orbited his knuckles.

Xemnas looked at his own fist, noting the lack of darkness stimulated into his own mental. He'd have to obtain that darkness for himself if he were to ever make his grandfather proud. "Why did my grandfather do that to you, anyway? He never told me the story."

Ansem scoffed. "I'm not sure why. The tale isn't very sacred. Long ago, your grandfather and I went on an expedition to find a pure source of radiation. It would help craft certain DNA structure." He took another sip.

Xemnas recalled his grandfather raving on radiation before. "Was there some kind of radiation epidemic back then?"

"Something like that. I had been plotting to betray him for a while then. I figured I'd learn how to channel the power of radiation for my own personal use, but he had deduced me of my arrangement for some time, and used the Keyblade to diminish my youth."

"I didn't know his Keyblade could do that."

"His previous Keyblade could, but that was destroyed during the war. He told me that he wouldn't return my youth until he felt that he could earn my trust back. To do that, with my position as Kuame, I led the queen to him when she came to Sabre Mountains. I saw it as the perfect opportunity, even through my nonsensical way of thinking at that time." Ansem downed the rest of his drink before he flung the glass across the room. He checked out his fingernails. "Kid, do you have any empathy towards your grandfather?"

The question obliged the young man to raise an eyebrow. "Why are you asking?"

Ansem's lips upturned deceitfully. "I may be in no position to do anything now, but I won't be taken down so easily. I have something in store for your grandfather. I've come to realize that despite him being our elected leader, he still isn't anything compared to the boss."

Xemnas had almost forgotten about the boss. "You mean… I mean, don't you think that perhaps you might want to learn your lesson from before?"

"I wasn't capable of developing a proper scheme back then. My inexperience hindered me. I delved in way too deep over my head, when Xehanort was on the level of a genius. But now," he chuckled, "I know exactly how to get that pompous fool to fall a few pegs. The only question is…" Ansem looked at him, "are you with me, or against me?"

The question hit Xemnas in the face, his response grew numb. His grandfather was brash. His expectations were on a different level. But was that enough to betray his own blood?

Before he could answer, Xehanort busted into the lab. His patience had been corroded like acid rain slewing building tops. Time had been left to squander.

He paused when he saw two of his associates sitting on the glossy white sofa. He placed a hand to his heart but sobered into a frown. "Why are you here? Where is Xaldin?" he asked, his question directed towards Ansem.

Ansem shut his eyes. "He should be on his way. He's with our new recruit."

Xehanort raised a brow. "New recruit?"

"His name is Zexion, who will be acting as our strategist from now on. They should be here pretty soon."

"Well then why the hell are you two lethargic, apathetic imbeciles sitting here doing nothing?" Master Xehanort wrung his arms out of his coat sleeves. He chucked it to the side before he rammed double doors leading to the closet aside.

Ansem gradually opened his eyes at the sound of such frustration. "Hostile?"

Xehanort rummaged through the hangers until he spotted his black cloak. Since Xemnas was already fully clad in one, he only tossed it to Ansem. "Suit up," he demanded. Xehanort presented himself with his own black cloak.

Xemnas stood from the couch. "Master…?"

"We have to take action—now. The enemy is growing thick. They already seem to have found another Keyblade wielder. No more of this hiding in the shadows, trying to study the enemy. I have learned what their weaknesses are, their strengths, so the best move is to attack now while they're still frail and underdeveloped before we have a major adversary on our hands."

Ansem unbuttoned his leather coat. "What's the plan?"

"I've been searching for a place to release the heartless at full discharge. No more holding back, we're going to unleash the heartless and take Radiant Garden over."

* * *

In the kitchen, Riku swatted a crude wooden sword. He looked at its rigid creases. For some reason, Sora came to mind. "It's a shame. You'd think that I'd be the one who was chosen to wield that Keyblade and protect Princess Kairi from any danger. I guess it wasn't meant to be. Still, it feels like a crime, don't you agree?"

Flame sunk her teeth into her bowl. She eyed him annoyingly, wishing that the boy would shut up and allow her to eat in peace.

"Aw come on, you can eat anytime. You're the only one I can talk to in this castle. Merlin is a nut and I'm pretty sure Serah forgot I even existed by now."

Flame rolled her eyes as she continued eating.

"I mean, I just don't get it," Riku said, returning to his voiced thoughts, "I mean I always thought that the hero was supposed to be the dude who's got the best looks. And I mean, come on, you gotta admit that I'm much sexier than Sora." He whipped his hair back and flashed a charismatic smirk. Flame paid him no attention. "Since when did you turn into such a bitch? You take after the Princess?"

She growled at him as a warning. She preferred when people did not speak of any owners of hers with such tone.

He raised his hands. "Sorry, just joking with you."

Despite fooling around, a tinge of truth slept silently in his statements. As an alternative to freeloading off the royalty, the option to be beneficial would be presented. But what could he do? He had nothing of remote value.

Footsteps heeded from the living room. Riku and Flame peeked inside to find Hope hauling Claire bridal style into the main foyer.

"Your Majesty, what happened?"

"It's a long story, son. Could you do me a favor and bring her up to her room?"

"Sure." Hope handed his wife over to the youth as he held his own head in pain. "Tired?"

"You have no idea. Let's just get a move on."

She withdrew her eyes from the letter. Her blonde hair chaotically drifted over her eyes. She moved the tedious strands out of the way and puffed. "It's not like I didn't see this coming." She sighed as she crumpled the paper and stuffed it inside her pocket. Now once again clothed in her occupation attire ready to proceed with her concentrated effort, Naminé spruced Kairi's room back to the way it was prior to her intrusion.

She scouted the place all over. It felt like removing evidence from a crime scene, yet at the same time the guilt was eclipsed with pleasure and satisfaction. In the end, the result remained that she got to see him again. You could film the scenario with every other angle, the end result would remain untouched.

She shut the door and noticed Riku carrying an unconscious Claire down the hall with the King in tow. Curiosity sunk in right on cue. Thoughts of the Queen's death aroused her concern. She wasted no time catching up to them. "Your Majesty, what happened?"

He turned his head halfway to catch glimpse of the voices source. "She's just a bit shook up. It shouldn't be a big deal, but I am going to call in some medical assistance just in case."

Claire's face was pale, cold and dead. She probably would have been mistaken for an absence of any life if it weren't for her steady heartbeat. Naminé felt her wrist; she had a nearly faded pulse. What could have caused such devastation?

"But what did exactly happen?" Riku asked. "You never answered my question, sir."

"I'm honestly not sure. She just passed out without much warning." He narrowed his eyes to the recent memory. "She has been acting strange lately, though. Something's bothering her, I can tell."

"You think so?" Naminé asked. The question felt more like a formality rather than genuine interest. It was quite obvious to any eye with a bout of common sense that something was odd with the Queen, but conveying it in casual conversation felt too direct. What's the point of being a conversation manipulator unless your conversation partners imply certain qualms on their own? Subtly is an underrated mace.

"I've been married to her for sixteen years—I'd like to think I know my wife pretty well by now."

"If not, I'd say some serious marriage counseling might need to be under consideration," Riku quipped.

Hope chuckled but ceased once he stared at Claire's face again. "What hurts is that she won't tell me what's wrong. I figured that by now we wouldn't have any secrets between us."

Naminé wanted to scoff. Hope's statement was such a petty implication for sympathetic soothing. If not cornered into playing a gracious character opposite of her own motivation, she would have told him to man up. Alas, blowing her cover would be reckless. "Why don't you ask her what's wrong when she wakes up?"

"You think I haven't thought of that? It's just that when she comes to me for help, that's when I'll know she really needs me."

Waiting for things to get worse instead of apprehending the problem as soon as possible is blatant idiocy. Only a fool would wait for the dilemma to come crying to them before taking advantage of prior knowledge of the norm's blemishing. That's how a lot of disasters come about. This was what Naminé meant by having to deal with idiots in the castle. Their common sense made no sense.

Throughout her inner curses, Naminé forced herself to preserve a smile. "Your Majesty, I believe the best route is to capture the problem before it escapes you, and put it to rest. Otherwise, your place to do something about it will have been long and forgotten."

"Yeah, you're right." But why was it that he was being lectured by a minor? "I feel stupid. Maybe it's this probable war that's making me not think clearly but I seriously need to get a grip."

The three entered the bedroom. Riku gently laid Claire down on the mattress. "I hope she's alright," Riku admitted.

"Naminé, could you get medical aid in here soon? I have something I want to do."

"Why, of course. Right away, your Highness."

"Riku, could you keep her company?"

It wasn't like she was going anywhere, but Riku could relate to the King's caution. "No problem."

Hope and Naminé left the room headed their separate ways. The King didn't want his daughter to worry. Despite how hostile the princess could be towards her mother, he knew deep down she cared for her a great deal. He stepped up to Kairi's room and rapped his knuckles against the door. "Kairi?" He received no response. "Just letting you know that your mother isn't feeling too good right now so try to go easy on her, okay?"

Only silence retorted.

"Kairi?" He opened the door to introduce himself to an empty room. "The hell…?"

* * *

With the afternoon haze shifted to a warm azure flush, a light, cloudy crescent moon led the town to dusk. Amaya escorted the way in front. Kairi staggered to keep up with her much more steady paced acquaintances. She had never walked so much in her entire life. She wobbled onto a nearby bench, her breaths heavy. She placed a hand on her forehead. Her fingers stroked moist skin before she pinched her shirt near the breast area, flapping the fabric back and forth.

"I can't… take it any more… we've been walking for like, three hours!"

The two stopped. Amaya looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "It's only been ten minutes."

Kairi groaned. "How can you people _do _these insane activities? It's preposterous!"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Quit stalling. We still got an extra fifteen minutes worth of walking to do, and you're wasting our time."

With a smile, Amaya patted Sora on the shoulder. "Don't be so hard on her. I'm sure she just needs something to keep her energized. Like a refreshment!"

Kairi bobbed her head towards her. "That sounds fabulous…" she worded breathlessly.

Sora restrained a grunt. The very last thing they needed to do was carelessly fling away more time, but it seemed like the universe was bent on keeping him away from Xion as long as possible. Besides, it'd be impolite for him to not go along with it. What's a few more minutes?

Kairi looked at them expectantly. "Well?" Sora and Amaya returned a blank stare. "I'm waiting! Sora, aren't you going to help me up? No manners!"

Sora laughed. He found it hilarious that she, of all people, would preach to someone about manners. Amaya raised both eyebrows at this girl's attitude. She was definitely an aberration. Never had she seen someone act as entitled as this before. She turned to Sora, her confused eyes asking for answers. He shook his head in response as he wiped a tear away.

"Get up your own damn self," Sora finally answered.

Kairi gaped. "How dare you?"

"I know a place nearby," Amaya confessed, interrupting their impending argument. She helped pull Kairi up from her spot.

"At least _someone _knows how to treat a lady," Kairi accused, keeping an objected eye on Sora. He barely acknowledged her. Kairi turned to Amaya. "You know of this place, huh? Well, lead the way."

By place, the last thing Kairi expected was a bar.

With a disgusted expression, Kairi eyed the foreign environment in horror. Grotesque, obese men bellowed among each other. Their voices were granted with superfluous volume. The entire structure wasn't like anything Kairi had seen before. An uninterested brown colored the walls where a few beheaded animals hung with frightening growls. The aroma of alcohol and meager mouth sanitation whiffed the air shamelessly. Obnoxious screams, crude laughter from childish gags such as gas passing or burping, and crass language all violated Kairi's stability.

Amaya seemed pretty comfortable as a bright smile lingered. Sora looked detached, as if this weren't anything out of the ordinary. How could peasants be so composed in the company of such vulgar?

"This is the place!" Amaya beamed. Before she could take a step, a body flung onto the floor in her path. Apparently, he had been involved in a shoving contest and had been sent flying back. Kairi shrieked as she cowered near Sora's arm.

Amaya wasn't very affected. She simply took a large step over the plunged victim as she proceeded to the bar stools. Sora was about to do the same until Kairi tugged him back.

"You can't be serious! Aren't we a bit underage for this?"

He disregarded her concern as he snatched his arm away, walking towards Amaya, who was already seated and waiting to get a bartender. Kairi had no choice but to follow. She trembled towards Sora and Amaya, keeping her body stiff so that she didn't attract too much attention. A failed attempt, since one of the crude individuals was eyeing her with a lewd smirk. She felt howls and whistles directed her way.

She kept her eyes closed and tried to think of herself back at the castle where it was nice and safe; free from any potential sex offenders that infiltrated _this_ sickening institution. She felt firm hands gently touch her shoulders. She prepared to release her restricted scream. If he didn't remove his hand right at that instant, she'd reveal to the public that she was really the Princess and have the peasant that dared lay a finger on her arrested, perhaps beheaded.

She opened her eyes to see that it was only Sora that had been the one holding her, his face stern but protective. Technically, it was a peasant, but she thanked the heavens that it was only him, and not any of these other creeps. Sora was an exception.

"Don't worry," he soothed. As he walked her to the bar stools, he eyed all of the horny drunks with a sharp glare. "Back off."

As they made it up to Amaya, Sora released her. A sensation of warmth left Kairi's body but she remained solid. Amaya, seated on the bar stool, offered a sympathetic stare. She turned to Sora. "First time in the bar?"

He shook his head. "Not for me," he admitted. He had his fair share of entering a saloon with damaged permission. "Her, on the other hand…"

"I see." She gave Kairi a comforting smile. "You have nothing to worry about, Annie. These guys may seem like ruthless brutes, but they just do that to scare ya. Pay them no mind."

"Yeah, but don't get too comfortable," Sora countered, his arms crossed skeptically. "_Somebody _in here is probably a bit on the shady side. I'd keep my butt in check, if I were you."

Kairi felt woozy. "O-Okay."

Sora took a seat next to Amaya. They noticed Kairi had remained stationary. "You gonna sit down?" he asked.

She gagged at the worn out bar stool that probably sat countless unhygienic bottoms. "I'm fine the way I am."

The two shared a shrug before they turned back around. Amaya bent over the counter in search for any employees to aid them. "Where is that bartender?"

"So," Sora started, "I never got the chance to seriously thank you for saving my ass earlier. Your Keyblade skills are pretty sick. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two? As far as I go, I'm still kind of a noob."

"I'd love to. But I mostly use magic, are you fine with learning about those tactics?"

"Sure, any kind of information is great. You don't seem to understand that I _suck_."

"Oh come on, you aren't _that _bad."

He gave her a dull look. "Lies!"

She giggled. "I mean, well, yeah, your style is a little rough around the edges but it's nothing I can't patch up."

"I appreciate your poor attempt at making me feel better," he smirked. "It's just that I really need to learn how to use it properly. I have—some people to protect." His eye darted to the rigid Kairi for a split second.

"Oh, I get it. To protect the ones you love, huh?"

Sora stifled his laughter. "I wouldn't go that far."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I wasn't very good at using my Keyblade either when I first discovered that I could wield it."

Sora folded his arms against the counter as his interest stimulated. "How'd that all happen, anyway?"

She tatted her fingernails against the counter, suddenly lacking emotion. "It happened when I was fourteen. Long story short, it sort of just—came to me when I needed it most."

More elaboration would have been nice, but he could tell that it seemed to be a topic she'd rather allow to linger. "I see."

"What about you? You said you had found out that you could use yours quite recently."

Shit. He couldn't tell her that he got his Keyblade out from a stone that indicated that he was destined to protect the girl standing behind them—especially since Sora still wrote it off as a fluke. Amaya seemed smart enough to put two and two together, and rumors of the Keyblade in the stone were far from hushed. Kairi's identity would be exposed. "Oh, you know… like you, it just sort of—came to me."

Their edgy chuckles synchronized as they turned heads, desperate to stumble onto a different topic. At the same time, they both detected that they weren't letting each other on about something, but to avoid revealing skeletons, they kept their mouths shut.

A lanky figure slid out from the back door as he stopped right before the pair. Thick red locks reached his shoulders, slicked back into spikes. His eyes were emerald; under each were purple reverse-teardrop tattoos. He smirked at Amaya.

"Sorry for the wait, did you miss me?" he asked.

Amaya rolled her eyes. "I was _longing_ for you, Axel, really I was."

"It's natural that you would." He massaged his hair back before getting real close to her. "I mean, come on, how could you resist a striking face like this, huh?"

Sora could have sworn he saw a sparkle glisten in his teeth.

"I can, and I do on a daily basis," she said as she shoved him back gently. He chuckled before his eyes set themselves on Sora.

"Who the hell are you?"

Must not have been keen on new faces. Sora opened his mouth before Amaya intruded.

"He's just a friend, Axel. No need to get jealous," she teased.

"It's not jealousy; I'm just simply looking after my little sister." He eyed Sora up and down. "I'm watchin' you."

Sora's resolve to care was left elsewhere. "Whatever, bro." He shouldn't have been here. He should be out looking for Xion. Amaya had definitely lost points on his scale for proposing this time eroding pastime, but he didn't hesitate to knock himself down a few pegs for giving in so easily. If it were anyone's fault, it was his.

Axel went into his pocket and whipped out a cloth. "Anyway, what can I get for you and your date?" He rested the cloth on his shoulder.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll have a martini. And please don't spike it this time."

He groaned. "Will you get off of that? That was like, a million years ago. Besides, you had a fun time that night at my place, right?"

She blushed from the memory. Axel smiled in triumph.

"That's what I thought." He turned to Sora, a smug look. "What about you, pretty boy?"

"Water."

"Your new boyfriend seems like a pussy."

She placed her fist under her chin as she leaned on the counter. Now it was her turn to smirk in victory. "Axel, I just met him."

"Oh, so it's a _one night stand _sort of thing, I gotcha," he winked. Sora remained unsure of how to react as Amaya face palmed. "Alright, anything else?" He peeked behind Sora to find Kairi with her arms crossed, tapping her foot against the hardwood floor. She was lost in space. "What about you, cutie?"

Amaya turned around. "Annie, did you want something to drink? It's on me."

Kairi looked up at her quickly. She almost forgot that Sora and Amaya were there. "Uh, yeah, I'll have a boulevardier with extra sweet vermouth."

Axel laughed. "That's a good one! We don't sell that kind of stuff here! You'll have to go to the royal establishments to get some of that."

Amaya was surprised that someone of the supposed lower-class would even bother to ask for such an expensive drink. This Annie Panella was definitely an eccentricity among even the most standard anomalies.

"Well, what do you have?"

"All that's left in stock is ginger ale, martinis, tequila, and some beer."

Such repulsive drinks; they didn't deserve to be consumed by someone of her fancy. "I'll pass."

Sora frowned. "You had better not start crying later on about being thirsty. This is your last chance."

"I said no!"

He turned around and puffed.

"Is she always like that?" Amaya whispered near his ear.

"All the time," he returned with a smirk. "But I'm starting to get used to it."

"Alright, so that's a martini and water, I'll commit it to memory. Be right back." Axel went to the counter behind them. He whipped up their drinks at swift speed.

"What's up with this guy?" Sora asked.

She shook her head, a ghost of a smile on her face. "Ex-boyfriend."

That made sense. "Then what was that about with him looking after his little sister referring to you?"

"It's just something we call each other now."

Axel placed their drinks before them. "Enjoy. I'd love to stay and allow you guys to soak in my sexiness, but I got a quick cleaning duty to partake in. I'll see you, sis." He rushed into the back room without another word.

"Anyway," Amaya trailed, "you still haven't told me why we're going to the abandoned library." She took a sip from her martini. She smacked her lips from the bitter sweetness.

He had been spending so much time trying to make conversation, he nearly forgot about his sister. Or was it that he wanted to forget? No, of course not. This really was a distraction. "Oh, uh, yeah…"

Would it be okay to tell her the truth? It wasn't like it was a secret—not necessarily. But it was personal, and Sora wasn't sure if he was okay with revealing precious facts about himself to someone who was still a borderline stranger.

Fuck it, Amaya seemed harmless enough.

"I used to be homeless," he stated bluntly. He felt so weird having to put that in past tense, but technically he did find a home in the palace. "And when I was, I used to live in that library."

Amaya put a hand to her lips as she gasped. "Really?"

"Yeah, and I got this, um—promotion, if you will, that allowed me to have a higher authority, I guess. I was kind of forced into something I didn't want to do, but now that I'm out, I'm just trying to get back to where I belong because my sister is supposed to be there."

"That place must contain some memories for you. I'm starting to think it's a shame that they'd tear it down now. I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"Don't apologize," he deadpanned. "It's just—I really miss her."

No wonder she felt such empathy for him, she could tell right from the start that he had been through some trials when she caught him stealing that anpan, despite that he never showed any signs. On the same side of the coin, the feeling came so suddenly and still heaved questions. The mystery behind her unexpected connection still stood. In any case, there was something about this boy that made her feel—at home.

"How long has it been since you've last seen her?"

"It's been a few weeks, two and a half to be exact." He hauled out a sigh. "Feels like three months, though. Her face is almost starting to become a haze now, and that's what scares me."

She could relate. "Well, if you want to look on the bright side, we should be there in no time. Just a few turns, and we'll be there to see your sister." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "And then, we can turn that frown upside down!"

He snickered at her optimism. "Yeah, hopefully."

"Well, we better get out of here soon. With _that _sob story, I almost feel kinda bad for making us take this little detour."

"Don't worry about it. Go ahead, finish your drink. If she's that close, a minute or two won't make much of a difference."

"I think you're right." She took another swig of her beverage as Sora did the same for his flavorless water. He wasn't in the mood for zest.

Kairi completely zoned out. She couldn't even hear what Sora and Amaya were talking about with all the noise, but she lacked the guts to sit in that chair just to participate in their conversation. What would be the point? It wasn't like she knew what peasants conversed about. She'd be out of place.

A black cloak entered the tussle—silently making his way towards the barstool. He stopped once he passed by Kairi. His face was awestruck underneath that hood, though nobody would ever know it. She had a wig on, but he could tell who she was from a mile away.

His staring brought the princess out of her thoughts as she raised a brow. "What are _you_ looking at?"

The cloaked figured upheld his hands. He came in peace and didn't want to add to the chaos that already brewed lack of order. This must have been what Naminé meant when he said that Kairi went out into town.

He gave her one last look. She really was gorgeous, just like before. He preferred her with her signature red mane, but nonetheless, she could rock a raven color if she desired to. He sat beside Sora wordlessly.

"Hey, what's up?" Sora asked with his tone quite friendly. Though, he seemed familiar. Was this that black coat he saw back at the Sabre Mountains?

Roxas figured that this must have been the other guy Naminé had spoken of. The resemblance she spoke of was apparent and uncanny. Hopefully, Kairi didn't move on just because of how much he and this guy favored each other.

Roxas simply nodded. He preferred to keep his voice sedated to any other ears. He could feel Kairi's eyes burrowing into his skin like a drill even though he couldn't see her right now. If she was already suspicious, that wasn't a good sign. But if he spoke, Kairi would recognize his voice.

The said princess walked up next to Roxas on his left side, looking at him intently. "Have we met before?" Despite his face discarded, his physique and motion mannerisms sparked a plug.

Roxas shook his head.

"Hm, okay—well, sorry." Her eyes still refused to part from him.

Axel came stumbling out of the room as he dodged an oncoming plate. It shattered into pieces on the wall behind. A voice from within shouted for Axel to hurry up with something. "Alright, alright! Don't lose a limb over it! God…"

Roxas's muscles eased greatly at the sight of Axel. Memories flushed through his mind as he withheld the urge to greet him.

He made his way over to the counter as he slumped before his ex. She giggled as she gently caressed his addictive hair.

"Tired?" she asked.

"My boss is about to make me burn this fucking bar. Dude can't chill for shit."

"Well don't a bust a nut over it."

"Don't worry, babe, that's a job only you can accomplish."

She sighed. "I feel like I should get mad, but I totally set myself up for that one."

Axel turned his head over to the cloaked figure. "Sorry bro, didn't see you there. What can I get you?"

Roxas iced up. How could he answer if Kairi was standing right next to him? He knew she was anticipating for him to hum his voice, and it'd all be over. He glanced at Sora's nearly empty glass and pointed to it.

"You want some water? Okay, why not just say so?"

Roxas shrugged.

"Oh, a mute, huh? Don't worry, I got you." Axel went to the back counter once again.

"Aren't you hot in that thing?" Sora asked the cloaked figured. He simply nodded. Sora and Amaya shrugged it off and finished their drinks, but Kairi's reservations never faded.

Axel placed the glass in front of the black cloak. "There you go, bro." He caught himself staring. "Hey, have I met you somewhere?"

Damn it, how could he even be this noticeable in highly secretive black cloak. He shook his head.

"Oh, okay."

As she finished her martini, Amaya exhaled bliss. "Alright, let's get a move on, guys."

Sora couldn't agree more. He was more than ready to finally leave this joint. Yet, why did his hesitation seep in? He almost wanted to stay put.

A straggler smacked Kairi on the butt as he passed her by. "Nice ass, toots."

Kairi yelped. She turned around and pointed at the man. "Listen here, asshole! Who the fuck do you think you—"

She ceased speaking when she saw that the discourteous gentleman looked to be about a two hundred fifty pound hunchback brute. His nose resembled that of an apple, and his monobrow was heavily noticeable. "Uh, I-I mean…"

He smirked, his bright cheeks highlighted scruffy facial hair. "Don't talk back to me like that. I was tryin' to give you a compliment. In this place, you either be grateful or don't say jack shit." He crept closer to her. The Princess was prompted to recoil.

"I-I-I-I'm s-sorry, sir, p-please—"

He seized her by the wrist. Kairi was caught in the moment as he sniffed her all over. The vibrations welled up to her spine as her mind went blank. But what could she do? If she talked back, there was no telling what this man would do to her. Hell, she was probably about to get something now.

"You ought to be punished for being so disrespectful to me, and there's only one way we do that 'round here, right boys?"

The other beasts in the area all cheered him on as they raised their mugs and glasses in approval.

"W-What kind of punishment?" Kairi dared ask.

The brute only sneered as he placed a hand firmly on one of her breasts. Something stirred in Kairi's stomach. It rose up to her throat, but she gulped it back down immediately. It was bad enough a peasant had to comment on her chest earlier, but now someone was _touching _them? She'd have to bathe in bleach later on if she made it out of this.

"S-Stop!"

He lifted her already half cut shirt, much to the support by his peers. A pink bra became evident. "Well sweetie, when you walk around dressed like this then what did you expect?" He was stopped when a hand clutched his shoulder.

"Hey, the lady said paws off!" Sora yelled.

The brute used his elbow hit the brunet straight in the gut. It sent him flying back a few feet before he smashed against the ground hard. Amaya crouched over him. The bully turned around and bumped his fists together.

"Pick a fight with me, huh?!" He stumbled closer to Sora, his fists ready. Amaya stood before him with a protective stance. She wagged her finger at him.

"Now listen, what you did back there was not acceptable!"

Merely a fly as he shoved her to the side. He stood tall before Sora as he lifted the brunet by the collar. "I don't like people who pick fights with me. You ought to learn how to mind your own business."

Sora showed no fear. "What are you gonna do, eat me?"

The foe growled as he pulled his fist back. With a thrust, he pushed it forward and Sora braced himself. His fist ended up being caught by the hooded cloak's palm. Roxas pulled his own fist back and didn't hesitate to punch the brute back. He staggered as he released Sora and clutched his nose.

"Damn it!"

Roxas, with his identity still anonymous, cracked his knuckles. That punch was wicked enough to start a riot. The entire bar was set off like a switch. Everyone showed no mercy as they initiated a free-for-all.

Amaya helped Sora up as he held onto his hurting stomach.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, but," he stopped himself as he stared at the barbarians that partook in such a scuffle. His awe hampered him from forging any further words.

"Where's Annie at?" Amaya asked rhetorically as she bobbed her head around in search of her.

The large brute and Roxas were going at it—their brawl mostly consisted of him trying to desperately land a hit on the agile Roxas—to no avail. The boy was able to dodge every attempt he made effortlessly.

The harasser decided to just give up on subduing Roxas as he ran towards Kairi. He lifted her onto his shoulder and made a quick escape to the door. For a big guy, his speed was surprisingly commendable. Roxas strived his way through the overcrowded bunch of bustling, strapped men, but it proved to be too much of a task. He was forced to hop onto the tables and somersault his way across the room until he reached the outside.

Sora and Amaya watched the entire scene unfold. He moved himself away from her as he let out a breath. He nodded to her. "I'm okay, let's go!"

The two crawled their way under legs. To say they got kicked around involuntarily a few times went without question. They made it to the outside where the night greeted them with dead silence. Most of the Radiant Garden villagers had gone home; only a couple of shady stragglers remained meandering on the streets. The pair looked to their left and right, but saw no sights of any of the three. Where the hell could they have went?

"Damn it," Amaya cursed, "how did they all get away so fast?"

"I don't know, but that guy breaks the scale of being criminally insane! Arrgh, why does Radiant Garden have to be so fucked up?"

It wasn't always like this. People weren't as crazy as they were now. Constant wars seemed to change this place for the worst.

"Left or right?" Amaya asked.

He knew this was coming. "L-Left."

"Let's go!" Amaya ran to their left, but stopped once she noticed Sora not following. She turned around and beckoned him. "Come on, we gotta hurry up and find them!" She noticed him not moving. "Sora?"

Sora turned to the right. He knew that Xion wasn't too far away, but to have to choose between Kairi and Xion was a worst case scenario.

Amaya couldn't bear for him to have to stay away from his sister any longer. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take this next left towards the bailey. Once you make it through, all you have to do is make it across the Market place. You ought to know your way to library from there."

"What are you saying?"

"Go ahead. Find your sister. I can take care of Annie. I'll make sure she's okay."

Sora didn't know what to say. His gratitude had been elevated to heights he never thought possible. Before he could thank her for such kindness, she gave him a wink before dashing off the other way in search of that huge thief and the cloaked figure.

He smiled. "Good luck." He darted off the other way, having memorized the instructions given to him.

Kairi pounded against the brutes back. "Let me go! What is your problem?!"

He chuckled manically. His eyes widened with obsession. "Ain't nobody gonna make a fool outta me! Ain't nobody gonna make a fool outta me!"

He stopped before a bell tower. In short of any hesitation, he pummeled his shoulder through the already fractured double doors. The area was shadowed in darkness. A crescent moon shed light from above like a spotlight, highlighting the wooden walls threatening to collapse. Spiral steps led to a large bell at the very top.

With a crazed eye, the brute ran up the stairs. He ignored Kairi's objections as he watched the door below for that strange black cloak.

At the pinnacle, the bell hung inanimately. A hole through the wall led to a balcony where a solid gargoyle frowned upon the town. The deranged brute picked the princess up, standing tall before Radiant Garden.

"I'll show him who he shouldn't have messed with!"

"Stop! STOP!" Kairi pleaded. She fastened her eyes shut and braced herself, but she collapsed onto the balcony's surface. She opened her eyes.

The cloak figure had swiped one of the brutes wrists as blood poured ruthlessly from him. Agony fled from his mouth. He sounded curses of his pain. Roxas held his two Keyblades, ready to put an end to this creep that dared try to harm Kairi. He may not have been in love with her, but he cared about her, and wouldn't let anyone lay a hand on her.

Then he stopped. He stared at the scene before him and allowed it to sink in. Kairi's terrified expression and the other's pained one beckoned him to realize that this wasn't what he wanted. The brute had curled into a ball as he pathetically bawled over his injured wrist. Roxas allowed his Keyblades to rest at his sides. He didn't even notice the rain that tumbled down from the livid clouds that watched over such a scene. The droplets pattered against his cloak.

Kairi tried pushing herself up; her muscles twitched from the ache of her sudden fall. Roxas held her by her arm and gently helped her to her feet—they stood there lost in each other's gaze. She felt entranced by his recognizable impression, even without hearing his voice or seeing his face, something about him brought her tenderness.

She itched her hand closer to his hood. He didn't move a centimeter. "Is it really you…?" she asked quietly.

Why didn't he put a stop to this? He didn't want her to see his face, but his body betrayed him.

Roxas caught sight of the brute behind her with part of the gargoyle's head conked out of place. He upheld the broken statue, his anger pushing him through the pain of his wrist. He was ready to do damage. Roxas had been so engrossed with Kairi that he hadn't noticed. He shoved Kairi out of the way as he took the brunt of the hit.

"NO!" Kairi shrieked. She attempted to tug the statue away from the monster, but his strength overwhelmed her own. She was jostled to the ground as the brute bashed Roxas with his rudimentary makeshift weapon yet again.

Roxas refused to scream, despite the scorching pain. He refused to allow his voice to be audible.

The brute lifted the gargoyles head one last time, ready to put the pesky black cloak to a permanent slumber—but he was apprehended by a Keyblade, knocked to the ground.

Amaya landed on the balcony as she caught her twirling Keyblade. "Ha! I call that Strike Raid!" Her slight amusement simmered as she kneeled down to Kairi. "Annie, you're not hurt, are you?"

"I-I'm fine, but…" her eyes lowered to Roxas. Amaya turned to see him, but felt reluctance to be of his assistance. Was he trustworthy?

Kairi lightly touched Amaya's arm. "It's okay… he tried to save me. Besides, I think I know him…"

She nodded. "Okay, I'll take your word for it." She stood up and went over to help Roxas to his feet. Before she could even make it to him, the brute rose once again from his false ashes. Amaya, struck with shock, is belted down with a mean blow from the brute's knuckles.

Why did she feel so weak? The strength of the Keyblade should have offered her some sort of resiliency, but that proved bogus. Perhaps the opponent had some kind of ability to drain her power? Or had her disinclination to fight kick back in?

Her head rose to see Roxas battling against the brute, being very careful not to hit him one too many times with his Keyblades. If he did, the maddened man's life would be thin on a string. Killing wasn't the ambition, especially since this brute was clearly not thinking straight.

Kairi tried helping herself up, but her weak limbs pressured her. A hand grasped her shoulder. She looked up to see brunet spikes struck sharply to the sky.

"S-S-Sor," she stuttered.

He placed his index finger to his lips. "I got you." He hung Kairi's arm across his shoulders as he plunged her up. He gave her a slight smile. "One step at a time."

Their endeavors magnetically pulled the brute's attention as he marched off to detain them, but Roxas clutched onto his back—once again hindering him away from the Princess at all costs. Sora noted Amaya; she watched the scene unfold almost absent-mindedly.

"Amaya, get him!" Sora encouraged.

She grimaced to the demand. Roxas angled the brute for Amaya to get a cleaner shot. She aimed her Keyblade towards him with her firaga spell in draw range prepared to inflict sizzled harm. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger.

"Amaya, do something!" Kairi yelled.

Amaya dropped her Keyblade and fell to her knees. "I-I can't."

"You what?!" Kairi griped.

With the distraction, the brute was able to throw Roxas over. He laughed maniacally as he backed up, only realizing he had been nearing the edge of the stout terrace at the last second. Roxas wasted no time as he swept his leg under the brutes. The man descended, the rain blocking his vision, until he landed back first inside a dumpster, clogs of mush covered his plump body.

Roxas hung his head over the edge before he stood. He turned around and caught a glimpse of the remaining three. They stood in silence.

"Who are you?" Kairi asked.

Roxas contemplated the benefits and disadvantages of revealing his identity to her. The idea that she most likely knew who he was by now was at a high percentage. His fingers lightly gripped his hood. The thought of her looking into his eyes once again thwarted him from proceeding. He dove off the building before she could ask him any more questions.

That alone was enough to give Kairi the answer she was looking for. She didn't make a move as he escaped. Sora and Kairi's attention was soon magnetically gravitated towards Amaya.

Sora tugged Kairi with him as he straddled closer to Amaya. "You okay?"

Her eyes reflected uncertainty. "Uh—yeah."

"Sora, I think I'm okay now."

Sora released Kairi. She took a few moments to regain balance before she asserted to him that she could handle herself. Sora nodded back. He turned to Amaya and offered his hand. She accepted his palm as she massaged her temples.

"Come on, let's get down from here," Sora suggested.

They walked back down the stairs of the tower in a comfortable silence as the furious thunderstorms did a decent job at keeping the tranquility deprived awkwardness. They exited from the nearly deteriorated setting and ran to safety—anywhere that would grant them some shade from the endless droplets pecking at them accusingly.

They busted through the empty streets—the thunderstorms making its dissatisfaction heard loud and clear. When first established, Radiant Garden was not a place that prompted such near fatal displays of terror. It promised peace, harmony, and serenity. The actions that presently transpired were a disgrace to the Garden's forefathers. They did not approve.

Through the rain's frustration, Amaya led them to an abandoned stand that had been once used to sell items such as potions and ethers. She climbed in first. Sora placed Kairi inside but tried to be gentle due to her weakened leg, and he leaped inside as well.

The area was stout—offering a view to the outside as darkness shrouded most of the interior. Stray bottles spread across the sandy floor. They could hear rain pelting against the roof.

"There's no point in trying to go to the library now. With this rain, we might lose track anyway," Sora said disappointedly.

Amaya could feel for him. All he wanted was to see his sister, but the roadblocks for him in his path must have been nauseatingly enormous. "I'm sorry, Sora."

Sora didn't like when people apologized for no reason. It made him feel pathetic. "Not your fault."

Kairi's legs twitched until she was able to fully stand. She glared at Sora. "You IDIOT!"

Catching his attention, he turned around in confusion. "Huh?"

"Don't sit there and mope around because you couldn't see your sister! It's _your own _damn fault! You had the perfect opportunity to go see her, but you wasted it for my sake!" She gripped her hands. "Why did you come back?!"

"Why else do you think? For _you, _you ungrateful bitch! What would be the point in going to see Xion if I didn't know whether or not you were okay? Even if I did end up finally seeing Xion, it wouldn't be worth it if I found out that you got hurt!"

They glared daggers at each other as the gravity in the air did little to apprehend the curious mixture of animosity and affection building between them. Kairi wasn't sure if she felt grateful for his stupidity, or if she was infuriated by his stupidity.

"Dumb ass…" Kairi muttered. "Stupid idiot, I _wanted _you to go see your sister! After everything you've done for me, saving my ass all the time, it's the least you deserve. The fact that you wasted that opportunity for me is ludicrous. I haven't given you a reason to sacrifice seeing your sister just to save me. So, why…? Why would you do that?"

Amaya's eyes darted back and forth between the two. "Um, should I leave you two alone for a sec—"

"Hush!" Kairi demanded. She looked at Sora. "Why?"

He averted his eyes. "I don't know. Maybe I _was_ just being stupid."

"Yeah, you were! Next time, instead of worrying about everybody else all the damn time, how about you worry about yourself!" She marched to a corner and lays down on the cold floor. She shivered but maintained what little composure she still had. The fact that Sora would risk not seeing Xion just to save her was absurd. She didn't want to be the reason why his reunion with his sister had to be delayed any further.

Sora sighed, not knowing what her problem was. He couldn't tell if she was trying to be caring or if she just wanted to start an argument for no reason. He noticed Amaya shoulders slightly tensed. He chuckled nervously, trying to ease the pressure.

"Sorry if we made you a little uncomfortable."

She returned his nervous chuckles. "It's okay."

The two sat in awkward silence, not really knowing if they had a conversation brewing. "I think we ought to get some sleep as well," Amaya suggested. "It doesn't look like this rain is gonna let up any time soon. We can head over there in the morning."

The guilt hit him like a bullet. He shouldn't have been making so many excuses to procrastinate. A few weeks ago if he were in the situation that he had been placed in now, he'd fight through the rain if it meant he could see Xion again. And while he still felt that determination, it wasn't as strong as it once was. Now, he was willing to wait even longer to see her, but he had a bad feeling Kairi's influence had something to do about it.

"Sure."

Sora stared at the ruthless downpour. It seemed that yet _again _the universe decided to play games with his psyche. He longed to see her, to make sure she was okay, but her reach had extended to bounds he may have never had the chance to attain.

Amaya knew how hard this had to be for him—another detour entered his path to reach his sister once more.

"Sora…" she murmured.

His eyes were engrossed to the rain. "Just when I thought… I'd get to go home. I promised Xion, that I'd never leave. I ended up doing that and she must be so scared. She's been waiting… all this time… for me to come back."

She had never been in a similar situation like his before, hence, she couldn't relate. She wanted to comfort him but saying something that he may have found offensive was an intention she didn't want to provoke. He sighed as he folded his arms behind his head, lying down on the ground below.

"I guess she'll have to wait a little longer."

* * *

**Here's a darker chapter for you all! Took me four hours to revise and edit so I hope it came out okay! **

**I know what you're thinking. "FUUUUUU! Where's Xion?!" Sorry, not yet! Ha ha ha! I'm such a troll, it's not even funny. **

**I have a reason why I've been delaying the return of Xion so much. I had this idea when I first wrote her out of the story temporarily. I told myself that I wanted to wait a while before she ever came back because I knew that people would (hopefully) start to miss her the longer its put off. Now I do know there's a thing such as waiting TOO long before people start to just not care, but trust me, we won't reach that point (assuming we already haven't). **

**I don't want to keep you guys in the dark much longer so I'll try to get the next chapter out really soon! As in, by the end of this week type soon if I can get enough free time. **

**Tell me what you think in a review please! You don't know how much I appreciate reviews, especially when they're well put together, nicely written, and long! (*Cough* The Unknowing Herald *Cough* blissfulnightrain *Cough* you guys rock!) Great boosters to get me fueled to keep writing! I'd really appreciate some follows too, if you're interested to see where this goes! **

**I hope you enjoyed! **


	14. Time's Up

**Countdown initiated. **

Ten.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

They say that time swifts more rapidly as the years increase. To Sora, that couldn't have been a more false statement. In his world, time constantly dawdled. Through his underdeveloped eyes, time slept by the waking hours at a gradual pace. The mind played tricks on exposed victims to make them perceive time as hurried. Time to him was precious. He savored every second. Every moment vouched for the future. It was a gift taken for granted—yet the craving for more of it never satisfies. Instances pass by in milliseconds. The future becomes the past subsequently.

All it takes is one mishap—and time eats away at a poor soul devoid of mercy. Time can even deteriorate a body, clearly illustrating frail aging.

However, in his scarcely moment of wake, Sora could feel time content in its sluggish tempo. His eyes had been counting sheep for the past two hours. He didn't even know what the time was—but it had to be close to midnight. The thunderstorms hadn't relaxed. The rain and its scorn kept Sora alert. Sleep would be a waste of time. So he chose to lie there, wide awake yet weak, as the rest of the world slept at a gradual pace.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Nine.

He heard a moan. He darted an eye to watch as Amaya stirred in her sleep, but she barely shifted. She settled down into peace and Sora thought nothing more of it.

That was, until she spoke. "Sora… are you asleep?"

He waited a moment to ensure she was conscious and not sleep talking. But he noticed her attempting to sit herself up. "No."

Sora pushed himself up along with Amaya. They gave each other a smile.

"I can't sleep," Sora claimed.

"You mean you haven't slept a wink?"

"I'm an insomniac. It's hard for me to sleep when I can't stop thinking." He looked out into the blissful night rain. "I got a lot on my mind."

Amaya rubbed her eyes. She noticed Kairi behind them, fast asleep. "Well, at least she's comfy."

Her face slept soundly, shrouded in harmony. It was quite endearing to see Kairi at peace, not yelling curses or deconstructing his patience with her abnormal pride. She was actually—kinda cute. "Yeah…"

"So, what's the deal with you two?"

He skimmed through his brain to find the appropriate term to describe their relationship. His indolent eyes glossed over her sleeping outline. "We're close," he stated truthfully. That didn't mean they had to get along. Not necessarily.

"You seem close." She smiled back. "Seriously, you need to sleep. If you don't, you'll get sick. You're gonna need a good night's rest if you want to go see your sister tomorrow."

"Fine. But first, answer me a question."

Amaya yawned, still recuperating from her late night disturbance. "What's up?"

"What was that about earlier? You just froze up out of nowhere."

Her eyes broadened, but softened her along with her expression quickly. The question was inevitable. She stroked her arm softly. "Y-Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just that—I really don't like fighting all that much."

"But you're a Keyblade wielder."

"I know. I'm also a pacifist. It was part of the reason why I chose to keep my identity as a Keyblade wielder as a secret. I knew that if it ever got found out by any authorities they'd force me into joining them as extra law enforcement like they do with all Keybladers. That's—just something I'd rather not do."

The thought was jarring. Why would a Keyblade choose someone who detested warfare?

"I hate when I'm forced to fight," she continued. "I hate violence. I just wish things wouldn't have to be settled over aggression."

"You seemed pretty comfortable when you saved me from those heartless."

"I didn't have much choice. Something obligated me to help you, but I try to use my Keyblade as little as possible. That's why I couldn't do it—I couldn't use it to hurt that man. Even if I wasn't going to kill him, I couldn't pull through."

Sora wanted to feel for her, but the compassion didn't cook right. It only burned slightly. To him, fighting was a necessity. He had to fight for his needs throughout his whole life, so it'd only be natural he'd feel otherwise. He could still see where she was coming from.

"I understand."

Eight.

Her eyes focused on the ground, her awareness vanished. "Why did the Keyblade… choose me? The Keyblade, it's been said to have been the source of all ruin. So, why me? Why us? Are we personifications of what will lead the world to destruction? It's a bit of a scary thought, don't you think?"

"Ruin? Destruction?" Sora almost laughed. "Maybe you're thinking about this too much. I think—it all depends on what you do with the Keyblade. Are you going to bring peace, or bring ruin? Don't let the past or society influence what _you _do, because you're your own person. It's all up to you."

"Maybe you're right," she voiced monotonously, "or maybe you're just putty in the hands of destiny's twist of fate."

"Destiny? What are you talking about?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I might just be paranoid, but these Keyblades do a good job at keeping me frightened yet intrigued."

He nodded. "I know what you mean. Can't help the feeling that there's something you aren't telling me, though." She gulped. "Surely your pacifist lifestyle would be the sole reason your pain. So, what is it? What happened to you?" She remained unsure. "You can tell me anything."

"It's nothing."

She wouldn't budge. It was times like these when Naminé would have actually been useful as a conversation manipulator, but people are never around when you need them.

"Now get some rest. Seriously, unless you want to reunite with your sister looking like a zombie."

He chortled at how true that statement might have been. "Alright." He tried relaxing as he lied back down along with Amaya.

"By the way," she murmured, "what was your sister's name again?"

He inhaled a deep breath. "Xion."

Seven.

* * *

**Wake up**.

Claire jolted up from her sleep. Her panting was profound, relentless. She placed a hand to her chest until her heartbeat simmered down from the spark.

Her memory had been swiped from her last recall. She didn't remember the last time she was awake, nor did she remember falling asleep in the first place. She noticed that she remained garnered in her work attire. Hope was nowhere in sight. She rubbed her head as she let out a soft grunt. The room was dark, nothing but light from the window elucidated the glum background.

**BOOM! **

The sound of thunder alerted her. She looked over by the window to see the silhouette of a familiar figure.

"Glad to see you're finally awake," Lightning said monotonously. "You collapsed on us out of nowhere. You had me all worried."

She didn't sound very worried at all. Claire was sick of seeing this hallucination, it worn out the welcome it never received in the first place. She picked up an alarm clock on the drawer next to her and hurled it towards the delusion.

"Who _are _you?"

Without giving it a glance, Lightning caught the clock with her index finger and thumb. She eyed it with without interest before carelessly tossing it to the ground. "I'm you—you idiot."

"But that's impossible! It doesn't make any sense!"

"Oh? Or is it that you're running away from the truth?" She turned around to face Claire, her arms behind her back.

"And… and what do you mean by that?"

"The halted truth that I am the embodiment of your closeted emotions. That anger you sought to obliterate is what I symbolize."

"I don't know what you're talking about! I changed because I wanted to! I didn't want to be a walking barrel full of anger any longer!"

Claire looked up to find Lightning no longer there. She felt cold—all alone in her struggle against herself. But why? Why were these illusions torturing her? What had she done to deserve this? It couldn't have been real, could it?

"I'm not real," Lightning said, reading Claire's thoughts. She had somehow ended up next to Claire as she sat beside her. "To be honest with you, I am a figment of your imagination. So being scared of me is a waste of time. Can't believe I have to explain this stuff to you though, I thought I'd be smarter than that."

Claire sighed, accepting the situation at hand. "If that's the case, then how is it possible that I can feel your touch?"

"Imagination lies dormant in the mind, but mind games are tricky. They can catch you off-guard if you're not careful. The mind is a lot more powerful than you may think."

"Oh, please. What a piss poor excuse. Tell me what you really are."

Lightning rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Until it was able to sink in without denial in tow. Claire still couldn't relax completely—her goose bumps attested to that.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"My guess is about as good as yours. I'm you, remember? I'm only aware of exterior matters as long as you are. Of course, I'm only a figment. I haven't a choice in the matter at all."

"Well, if what you're saying is true—then, why is it that you won't leave me alone?"

Lightning slightly chuckled. "I've been reawakened ever since you decided to get your mitts on the Keyblade back when you had to save our dear old hubby."

"Our? I think you mean mine."

Lightning sighed, growing tired of her counterpart's rejection to the truth. "No, that's not right. Whether I want to admit it or not, he's mine too. Because, you know, I _am _you." She scoffed. "Not that I particularly enjoy that statement, but…"

"But what?"

"Can't deny my feelings, especially to myself."

Six.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm in love with him too. It's actually quite irritating because deep down, I _want _to hate him. He's the entire reason you were able to so kindly toss me to the back of the bus."

"So, you're mad at him for turning me into a better person?" she asked, coldly.

"Well," she stated, slightly amused, "I see you still have a _little _bit of me left in you."

Claire rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, our, or I suppose more preferably, _your_ husband, is what demoralized my purpose. You—we, we found love. No more animosity was needed. Me, I was long and forgotten, and it was all because of him. I can't tell you how bad I want to hate him. Every time I try to convince myself that I really do, it hurts, because I love him so much."

"So what are you gonna do, make me fall out of love with him?"

"No. That's such a stupid idea. I don't need to waste either of our time. I'm here for a different reason."

Claire waited for Lightning to proceed, but she never did. "Which is…?"

"To prepare you. Know this, Claire Farron, things are definitely about to change—for the worst, I might add, soon. _Very _soon. You need anger in the face of an impending threat."

"So you want to fill my heart with anger again? That doesn't exactly sound very healthy."

She shook her head. "You're jumping to conclusions. I simply want to inform you of balance. Balance is what's needed when against all odds. You need passion, determination, willpower, strength…" Lightning turned behind her to see Claire, "…anger."

Claire stared at the sheets below.

"Now, I'm not asking you to be who you once were. Which is, well, me, but what I am asking you of—is to try and understand where I'm coming from."

"And where exactly are you coming from?"

"Embrace who you were and are. Take the anger and balance it in between your happiness and determination. Do that, and you will be unstoppable if ever needed."

"But what if I can't control myself like how I was overcome by you at the Sabre Mountains?"

"I was just testing how mentally strong you were in facing your anger. Now I know what I'm dealing with. The trick is to take what anger you have and put it into good use when you need it."

"But what if I end up doing something bad? What if I end up hurting someone I care about just because I can't control my anger? I almost beat Kairi to death if it weren't for Sora. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I mean, I can't help but think about how I was before I met Hope. All those people I hurt, cast aside, and put down."

Lightning laughed. "The past, huh? What can you do about it now? Sweetie, don't dwell on the past and let it control you. Fucking learn from it and look to better yourself in the future. I feel like I'm talking to a teenager."

Claire rolled her eyes.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Claire shot her a fierce glance. "Well what the hell do you _want _me to say?"

"Easy…" Lightning soothed. "No need for all of that."

"Hmph. I thought you wanted me to show more signs of my anger."

"I want you to balance it—not abuse it."

"And how do I do that?"

"Look inside your soul, young one, and beneath it, you shall find your destined answer."

Claire raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Lightning stared at her. "I'm joking."

Claire stifled her laughter. "I didn't realize I had a terrible sense of humor back then."

"Yeah, yeah…" Lightning muttered. As if she hadn't heard that one before.

"So, what happened at the Sabre Mountains—what exactly, uh…"

"I was able to warp your psyche, especially since you had the Keyblade. My existence depends on that thing. I guess you could say I took advantage of you, and it kind of got out of hand, but hey, I have to get you to wake up somehow."

"Wake up? I-I… I don't really follow."

"Of course you don't. Just continue with this ignorant conduct you seem attached to and we'll see how far it gets you. I just have one last word for you."

"And what is that?"

Five.

"Hope."

**BOOM! **

Claire turned to her left to find Lightning had vanished. What did she mean by hope? Or was it that she meant… Hope?

Claire got out of bed and made her way into the hall. He wasn't in bed, so where could he be? She eventually came across him in the kitchen at the island counter. He looked miserable as Serah comforted him.

She stepped inside, neither of them noticing her yet, partly due to their backs turned towards her.

"Um, is everything okay?" Claire piped.

Hope turned around immediately, excitement in eyes. "Oh, thank God you're okay!" He immersed his wife into a big hug, which she didn't hesitate to return.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Wish I could tell you. You just passed out, out of nowhere." Hope parted from her to look into her eyes. "Claire, is there something you're not telling me?"

Claire avoided his gaze. She turned her head slightly to get a look inside the main foyer, where through the darkness that shrouded the room, she saw a feminine shadow. It was her silhouette walking down the aisle. She turned back to Hope, biting her lip. "I—"

Serah placed a hand on Hope's shoulder. She gave him a stern look. He nodded back to her as reassurance.

"Actually, we have something important to tell you, Claire," Serah said, uncharacteristically serious. "It's about Kairi."

* * *

"Wake up! Come on, you lazy bum—wake up!" yelled a hushed voice.

Sora opened his eyes slowly. Before he could even wake up entirely, he caught the severely determined gaze of Kairi above him.

"Get out of la la land, Sora. It's time to get up."

Sora rubbed his eyes before laying back down attempting to catch a few more winks. Kairi rolled her eyes as she pulled him up by his shirt, literally shaking him out of his snooze. Annoyed, Sora shoved her off. "I'm busy sleeping. Can't I ignore you some other time?"

She overlooked his comment as she pointed to the outside. "Look!"

He turned to his right to see the night sky—free from the angry rain and brutal thunderstorms. It had finally stopped. He returned his attention to Kairi. "What's your point?"

"Are you that dense? Let's go find Xion! We have the perfect opportunity!"

Four.

Kairi climbed out of the booth. After finally realizing what the hell was actually going on, Sora followed. He turned back to see Amaya, still asleep. "What about her?"

"_Forget _her!" Kairi yelled. "She's done her part. We're in the Market Place like she said. Now all that's left to do is head over to the library and we're set."

Sora couldn't shake the feeling. "We can't just leave her here, though. Don't you think she might get worried about us?"

"And whose problem is that? Not ours. Now _come on _already! Mister _I hate wasting time! _But that's exactly what you're doing!"

Sora chose not to argue. He was too tired to even bother talking some sense into the surprisingly wide awake and alert Princess. He gave Amaya one last look with apologetic eyes as he climbed out. He dusted his baggy pants off as he scanned the familiar area.

The Market Place, how long had it been? The last time he was here, he ended up getting caught in such an embarrassing fashion, tripping over a pile of oranges.

"Where to?" Kairi asked, her head bobbing all over.

He raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what the hell has gotten into you?" Her curious, yet insulted eyes asked for further elaboration. "How come you've suddenly become so determined to help me find my sister? It's not like you."

"Because you're stupid," she said, as if it were obvious. "If you had of just went on ahead and found Xion instead of stomaching over me earlier, we wouldn't have this problem!"

His gaze deepened, causing Kairi's heart to pounce. "So, what is this exactly? Guilt?"

"H-Huh?"

"Are you guilty because you can't seem to understand why I would risk not seeing my sister just to save you?"

Her silence gave him his confirmed answer. Funny, she could be so stubborn. They were alike in that aspect. She turned her eyes away from him. "You don't know anything," she grumbled, finally breaking her silence.

He chuckled. "I think I know plenty." His amusement was making the princess boil. "What I don't understand is why? Why feel guilt? I thought I was a meager peasant to you?"

She punched him in the shoulder—he stumbled back, not so much from the pain or force, but more from how unexpected it was. Though, by now, he really shouldn't have been surprised by anything Kairi did at this point.

"Um, ow! What the hell was that for?"

"You're so pretentious! Thinking you know everything! You don't know anything!" Kairi calmed herself down and released her fingers from her tight fists. "Why would you do that? You should have just went on ahead and found her. That's what you wanted right? I thought," she trailed, biting her lip with hesitation.

He moved a little closer, cautiously mind you. The princess was an endless ticking bomb. You strip the wrong wires and she blows up. He had to be sensitive with not only his motions, but also his speech. "You thought what?"

"I thought… that was why you wanted to see her. So that you wouldn't want to have to deal with a… a… a, well, you know—like me."

He raised a brow. "You mean a bitch?"

She growled at him.

His eyes widened. "Forget I said anything."

She sighed. "Yes. A bitch," she admitted. "I just don't get why you would do something like that. All I've been so far is the damsel in distress that you've constantly had to save. I can't even count how many times you've saved me."

"I have. It's been four times."

Her eye twitched. "Shut up, will you? I'm trying to create a moment."

"It kind of takes away from the moment when you have to bluntly state that you're trying to create a moment."

"Sora!"

"Okay, okay," he said with a smirk. "Listen, I get what you're saying, but I still think you're full of shit."

"Excuse me?"

"You really need to analyze our relationship a little bit more."

"I don't understand."

He chuckled. "Don't you get it? You may not be perfect, but you're still my responsibility. I can't just let you die. Sure, all we do is argue, you get on my nerves and make me want to throw up with your arrogance, but like I said—I don't hate you. And I don't want you to die."

Kairi was not easily swayed by affectionate words but she felt something different this time.

"Not to mention the guilt. What good would it be to find Xion knowing that your safety is in danger? Whether you or I want to admit it or not, Kairi, we _are _a part of each other's lives and there isn't much we can do about it either even if we wanted to." He smiled warmly. "We're stuck together. And I'm gonna be there for you, whether you like it or not."

"Sora…"

Sora sobered his expression as he coughed, but he gave her a small, sly grin in good nature. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Come on," she simply stated.

"Way ahead of you."

Three.

Sora went by memory as he traced his way through the marketplace. Vivid memories flooded back throughout the overall hallow town. Sora was able to pinpoint all of the booths where provisions were sold during work hours. The calm, yet cool breeze did little to restrain the chills up the pair's spines, but they pushed through it. After a while of a comfortable silence, Kairi spoke.

"Is this where you used to always steal your food?"

"The very same place. Looks like nothing's changed since I've been gone. Except for the fact that officer fat ass isn't around to hassle me."

Kairi looked the town over in wonder. It was bustling with excitement in the day, but it wasn't shy to reveal its eeriness at night. Despite the creepy, empty environment—certain serenity remained. Through her inattentive wandering, she bumped into Sora's back.

"Okay, you _really _need to stop doing that," Kairi complained. She noticed he didn't have a snide remark to return. She looked at his face to see him staring blankly at the big building in front of them. It was colored white with the paint nearly completely tattered. Windows had been bordered off.

"This is the place," Sora said, his voice nearly breathless. He couldn't believe he was finally here, after weeks of departure. His sister should have been in there. Xion was that close.

"We're here?" Kairi asked, her tone clearly voicing slight disappointment. In hindsight, she knew not to expect much. It wasn't like his peasant sister would be living in some luxurious rapture. She walked ahead. "Alright, let's go!"

Sora grabbed her by the wrist. She gave him curious eyes.

"Now what's the big deal?"

"I can't," he deadpanned. "This is too much. I can't go in there after abandoning her like I did. I left her all alone… to see her again, it'd be too much."

Sora wondered what had been the cause of his churning stomach. Ever since they met Amaya, with her putting them back on the right track, he had a severe stomach pain every time he thought about Xion. Her mere name rang horrid grumbles inside his bowels. With that, he felt a pang of hesitation. Why was this so scary?

"Don't tell me," she said in disbelief. "Is the _fearless _Sora Yukana actually pussying out right when things start to get a little interesting?" She shoved him back.

"Hey, watch it!"

"What happened to the Sora Yukana who told me about spitting fears in their faces? The spiel about not being nervous and that it was all just mind games? Oh yeah, I wonder where he went—definitely not the chump standing in front of me."

"It's not as easy as you think. How can you relate when you've never been parted with someone your whole life?"

She resented that, but chose to not speak of it. "The point is that you're being scared of nothing. It's not like it was your fault you got captured by those guards."

"If I hadn't been so careless back then—"

"Stop making excuses!" she interrupted. "I want the old Sora back. Go back to being a hard ass who didn't give a damn about anything, because wimpy Sora just isn't gonna cut it." She lightly punched him on the shoulder.

He chuckled. "You're right…"

Two.

"I know," she said as-a-matter-of-factly. She seized him by the hand. "We're doing this together."

"Kairi," Sora whined.

"I don't want to hear it!" She gave him a mischievous smile. "Now, let's go already!" She dragged him towards the main door. He pulled his hand away with a chuckle.

"This isn't the way I usually get in. Follow me." He jogged towards the alleyway and Kairi stayed in line with him. He came across the old ladder that led to the second floor balcony. He climbed it with anticipation building every bar of the ladder he grabbed. His fear had been compressed into nothing and rebuilt into excitement. He made it to the balcony and looked inside of the window with his hands cupped over his eyes as he squinted. He couldn't make anything out since the lights were off. He heard the princess's strained moans.

Sora turned to see Kairi struggling to get to the top. He took her by the hand and effortlessly pulled her up on the balcony along with him. He immediately returned his attention to the window.

"Is it through that window?"

Sora took a while to answer. "Yeah…"

He prayed that it wasn't locked as he took the handle and unhitched it from the pad. Great, it was unlocked. Now all that was left to do was scold Xion for leaving the window unlocked.

He stepped inside, being very careful not to make a sound. Kairi stepped in along with him. His eyes gradually looked over the room, giving it a thorough examination. Though the candles were not lit, he could see a little bit of the familiar environment from the light cast from the outside.

Kairi rubbed her hands all over her body in pleasure. "Mm…" she moaned. "It feels so warm in here…"

He was tempted to tell her how sexualized that came out, but he thought better of it. The place looked the same as he left it. The table sat there with a few books scattered across, the rows of shelves to its right. He found no sight of Xion.

If she weren't in this section, then she had to be further into the room. He placed his index finger on his lips as he gestured to Kairi. They walked carefully, making precise steps to ensure the noise contained to their ear range. Sora and Kairi made it through the aisles of books until Sora commanded their halt. He peeked around the corner of one of the shelves and squinted at the corner.

He saw a body crouched with its back turned towards him, shivering in a cold sweat, completely unaware of his presence. She had raven black hair cut short and wore a stained white tank top and black sweats.

Sora gushed with excitement as he walked out from the shelves inching closer to her. Kairi only sat back to watch.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Xion, it's me."

It took a moment before she answered—paralyzed by the voice. "S-S-S-S-S-Sor-Sor-Sor…?"

She turned around to see his face and…

She looked horrible.

Her eyes had deep black marks underneath them with scratches down her shoulder. Her once clean, porcelain skin was covered in sweat. She reeked of dirt and shame. She looked frightened at him, as if he were a ghost. She lost weight, and it didn't go unnoticed.

But what really stood out was the tiny sever of blood that almost subtly leaked from her wrist. In her hand was a knife—the one he used to use to cut their fruit. Was Xion about to commit suicide?

One.

"Xion… what happened to you?"

Time's up.

* * *

**SHE'S BAAAAAACCCKK! And hawhaaaaaaa...?! Committing suicide?! **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had the idea of this ever since I first wrote Xion out of the story, and I left whatever happened to her in the darkness. Because of that, not only did we get to focus more on Sora and Kairi, but it kept the mystery going! Now, here she is! And notice she comes back in chapter 14? And Xion was number 14 in the organization, y'know, kinda.**

**"But the way I see it you can either run from it... or, learn from it." My favorite line from The Lion King. **

**Anyway, I'm glad to have gotten this out. Been working on it constantly. I hope you like this and that it was a nice little cliffie for you! I'll try to get that next chapter up very soon. Read and review! **

**Btw, 54 favs and 60 follows? That is amazing! I love you all so so so much for that and I thank you all so much! I really appreciate it!**


	15. Remorse

Her fingers fidgeted nervously as she rocked back and forth next to the window, waiting for her brother's return. He should have been back at least ten minutes ago. If she knew him, he was probably ridiculing the guards right now and their petty attempts at capturing him, but he was never late, no matter how tempting it was for him to make a fool out of the guard's captain. Surely he didn't get captured? She gulped. That was nonsense, Sora never got captured.

She read her book to keep her mind off of it, but the book just began to become less entertaining after a while as thoughts of her brother's safety became profoundly distracting.

She looked out of the window with a tiring gaze. "Idiot. Where the hell are you?"

Faint tears materialized as time drifted away. The tears budged into husky beads as they drenched her cheeks brazenly. Why hadn't he come back? A clock was nowhere in sight, but her instincts told her it had been nearly five hours. This proved to be a dead end. The time for waiting had lost its significance; it was time to take action. She had to go out and look for him herself.

She lacked any tools around so she had to pray for the best as she slid down the ladder. Nerves on her feet jolted as she landed on the bitter pavement. Soft breezes carried the hairs on her skin as she rubbed her whitening arms. She slowly stepped forth towards the Market Place; her eyes roamed in all directions. The tears froze onto her cheek before she wiped them off.

With every cautious step came a chilly pause. Her skin went numb from the air that grew colder with every second. She breathed into her cupped hands as a frosty exhale wavered from her divided lips. The wind rocketed through Radiant Garden's Market Place angrily.

She created a makeshift megaphone out of her hands and took in a deep breath. "SORA!" she yelled. The blustery weather shrieked a livid retort. She crept further into the still environment until she came across spilled oranges. It seemed random so she paid no mind to it.

As the draftiness ascended, her skin grew dead—insensitive to sensation. She scampered down the asphalt road with her body tight and stiff. It preserved what very little body heat that lingered in her flesh. Ferocious winds attempted to knock the poor child down with the velocity of its unrelenting current.

"S-Sora…" she attempted to yell again, although it only hissed as a whisper. Her lips were like dry cinderblocks that pulled the weight of her frail voice.

Her head spun in circles, as did her prospect of her surroundings. A swift heat rose to the tip of her brain, causing a rush of fatigue to hit her like an oncoming train. Her mind was stuck in headlights. She couldn't think straight. All that processed as thoughts were those of such arctic circumstances.

Her legs buckled until they gave out completely. She fell onto her knees as she endured the wrath Radiant Garden had to offer.

Until…

* * *

_Where am I? _

_It's dark… aren't I supposed to be caught in a dream right about now? _

_All I see is black… _

_Is this death? _

A bright light.

She opened her eyes and grimaced at the impulsive beam of light stabbing at her sight from above.

_Or is it heaven? _

"Kid," said a gruff voice. She knew that voice.

It was Cid.

She reluctantly sat up as cluttered tenderness strained her muscles. The first viewpoint that came was wooden walls. Basic furniture rested casually, and warmth immediately followed. It was a vast improvement from the bitter nippiness from earlier, of which felt like mere seconds ago.

Sitting at a lumber table was Cid as he sipped on some hot soup. Squeals from the stove were heard as he got up to turn it off and allow the second pot to cool. The steam wavered and wafted through her eager nose.

"Smells good," was the first thing she said.

He poured her a bowl and set it on the table with a smirk of his own. He pulled the chair back. "Get yer ass over here and eat, slacker."

She smiled as she stood from the couch with a small blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She limped slightly towards the table and didn't fail to recognize a sympathetic pair of eyes aimed her way. She nodded to him. "I'm fine," she assured.

He skeptically nodded back as she sat across from him. She focused on the red bisque for a moment until she finally hauled up her spoon. Her tummy beckoned her to continue, but her strength didn't reciprocate her hunger. Why did she feel so weak?

"Problem?" Cid inquired.

"Just a little tired. How long was I out for?"

"Brought ya in 'bout twenty ago. Found you passed out nearly dead in the Market Place."

"What were you doing out so late?"

"Couldn't sleep with that obnoxious ass weather—so I went out to get an early start on my job. I was headed over to the company to pick up some parts, but then I saw you in the Market Place. Ain't took but ten minutes to lug ya back here."

The fireplace roared across the room. She rubbed her arms in satisfaction. The comfort of this modest address was a tad overwhelming in contrast to how she felt earlier, but it was a welcome change.

"Well, I can't thank you enough, Cid. That's two I owe ya!"

He nodded. "Ain't no owing 'round here. I saved you because I wanted to, not of some obligation. So, you owe me none."

"Aw, thanks, Cid."

"No more mushy moments, just eat."

"Aww, what's a romantic scene without its fair share of mush, huh?" She smiled teasingly.

"Romantic?!"

"Admit it, you're just a big softie, aren't you, Cid?"

"SOFT?"

"Of course. Why, if I didn't know any better, I thought you were about to confess your eternal love for me. I guess I can't blame you, since I _am _quite the catch."

Cid wanted to retort, but he couldn't bring himself to it as a chuckle escaped him. "Looks like you're right back to yer old self. I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"You really shouldn't," she smiled back.

They shared a laugh before Cid returned his attention to his broth. He took a sip from it. She finally found an appetite as she dipped her spoon into her bowl until she pulled out a sweltering scoop of her own.

Cid wiped his chin with a cloth. "So, you care to explain why in _thee _hell you were out by yourself so late? Surely Sora wouldn't have let you—"

Her spoon clanked against the floor. The memories flashed before her the instant his name was voiced. "Sora!"

Cid stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Whoa, slow yer horses! What about Sora?"

"He's…" she trailed. "He's gone."

"Gone where?"

"How should I know?! That's why I was out there. So that I could find him and bring him back."

"But why—"

"He probably went to go get some food for us, but I _specifically _him to not go out there this late! He didn't return for hours… so I went to go find him."

He could feel her every word she said. He had never seen Xion so traumatized.

She slammed her fist onto the table. "I can't rest until I've found him!"

She made a run for the door.

"Hey!" Cid interrupted. "Where do you think you're goin'?"

"Weren't you listening to me before?"

"There ain't no point, Xi. It's way too late to be lookin' fer yer brother at this hour. Chances are we won't find 'im."

She clenched a fist close to her chest. "You don't know that…"

"I know that there ain't a point in risking your own sake for a cause that's impractical. Sorry darlin', but I doubt you'll find him at this time of night, and especially not with this damn weather."

But how would she sleep soundly tonight without knowing her brother's whereabouts? If he didn't come back by now, she could only assume he had either been captured or dead. To be dismal, she'd have to be insane.

"Xion," Cid said gently, "I want what's best fer you, and believe me, them streets ain't gonna get you nowhere no how. It's best if you stayed here for a while. Leave me to find the boy."

Going after Sora at this hour would definitely be reckless. But without knowing of his safety, essentials like sleep would become astray. She had the choice to go out into the streets with a speck of hope that maybe she'd be able to find him, but also at the cost of dying trying. On the other hand, she could remain there with Cid where it was safe and secure. But the fact that she didn't know where her brother was, assuming that he was still alive, didn't make it an easy choice.

Both paths had their ups and downs, not making it any easier for her to choose.

"I'll take good care of you," Cid promised as he stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And I'll make sure to find your brother."

His promises were hardly justified. She didn't exactly picture him as an adept sleuth. Ultimately, staying would be the best decision. If she ended up dying in vain, she wouldn't be helping to contribute to the problem. Sora wouldn't want that either.

"O-Okay," she muttered.

Cid smiled, relieved that she made the right choice. "Now, go on and get some rest. You don't need to be up during adult hours anyway."

She sniffled with a slight smirk. "Please, I've stayed up later than this before." She went towards the couch.

Cid shook his head. "You kids really need some kind of guardian. Hell, maybe once we find Sora, I'll adopt ya myself."

Cid as her father? As sweet as the offer was—no. "I thought you didn't want kids."

"Yeah, _kids. _You two are well into yer teenage years." He rubbed his nose. "I guess that's kind of a downgrade if ya think about it. Smart asses like you and hard headed numskulls like your brother might definitely make for some grey hairs. But hey, it's better than having you two all by yerselves."

Xion clandestinely scowled. If that were the case, wouldn't he have done something about them years ago? He knew about their homeless position for a while now, and he hadn't even offered his own services before. In hindsight, he did recommend other things like foster care, but this sudden initiative to be a responsible parent felt like impulsiveness rather than genuine caring.

Perhaps once he finally saw how critical their situation was, he opened himself to a realization. Still, she and Sora both had no interest of being under someone else's roof. They may not have had the easiest lives in the world, but they had their freedom. They took great pride in that.

"I appreciate it, Cid," she admitted, although she didn't go into detail on how she would have to eventually refuse. She decided it'd be best not to make the man who so kindly offered his home to her angry. "And—thanks."

He nodded with a half tilt of his cap. "No problem, girlie."

"Girlie?!" He knew she hated that nickname.

"Hah hah! Get some rest, Xion. You need it."

She sighed as she stuffed her head back into the pillow. She heard footsteps clumping towards the door as wind whizzed through. "Where are you going?"

"What do you think? I'm goin' to get an early start at work. Who knows? I might run into Sora along the way." He shut the door.

The last thing on Xion's mind was sleep. How could she when her brother was nowhere to be found? She threw the covers to the side and watched out of the window as Cid disappeared into the murky crack of dawn fog.

She couldn't stand it. Like her brother, she couldn't bear sitting around waiting for the inevitable. She liked to go out and shape her own destiny. Sorry Cid, perhaps she was being dumb, but something in her gut told her that this wasn't where she needed to be. She needed to go out and find her brother.

Xion slipped out the door and quickly ran into the Market Place. "I'm not giving up—not yet."

Sora wouldn't give up on her. He'd never sleep willingly if he knew she was in danger. It was high time she reciprocated.

* * *

A week had passed, and she hadn't found a clue pertaining to her brother.

Radiant Garden started to look like a Sora-free region. It was as if his existence was robbed from the face of the planet. She begged God that wasn't the case.

With her back aligned against an alleyway wall, she studied the Market Place around the corner. Her chest heaved with every lengthy second. Her skin was scathed from many failed attempts at drawing in anything to eat. Some days she came home with but a spit of a meal, and other days empty handed and starve to sleep. On occasion, she'd have to eat whatever was leftover in the local trash cans. She never knew how physically weak she truly was without him by her side. No wonder he worried about her so dearly. For these past weeks, she had set out on her own, making a living by herself without Sora—her vigilance wide eyed for him.

The area was short on pedestrians. It was late. The midday freeze had worn out through the dead roads. With such enormity at her disposal, she could roam about in search of her brother in her own world. Her cries would be deemed as false echoes to rare strays as the grim streets of the Market Place offered her little to no guidance, but she savored the free will. And with the weather composed from its usual midnight temperature tantrum, this would be the perfect opportunity for Xion to not only get some grub, but to explore in search of Sora.

The wind still did not resist the urge to gust at her pores. She rubbed her arms. Thank God for friction. "Well, I guess it's that time of year…"

It was mid-November with Christmas around the corner. Radiant Garden always had the most hardhearted winters—it was a time she and Sora loved, yet dreadfully distasted. The holidays were always warm rationally, but physically, it was a burden. Around this time, they'd usually be gathering a couple weeks worth of food to limit trips out into the cold whenever they grew desperate. Without Sora around, there was no way she'd be able to accomplish that despondent desire.

She crouched inside the shadow cast in the alley, trying to obtain as much body heat as she could rally. Times like these recommended more layers of clothing. If only she could afford a dream.

"Hey—you. Where'd you come from?"

Xion met unfamiliar aqua eyes. A boy stared down at her with half-lidded, hardly expressive features tinted on his face.

"U-Uh—I was…"

"Save it," he interrupted. "I don't need a messy excuse. I'm sure you have your reasons for being out in the cold in nothing but a tank top and some shorts."

Frosty condensation escaped her divided lips through wheezes. "I'm looking for someone."

"In this weather? I'm sure you'll agree with me as far as this not being a very smart plan of yours."

She locked eyes with the ground in shame. Perhaps she was being stupid. What did she hope to accomplish in these conditions? The chances of her finding Sora were slim. She was wasting her time.

The boy ruffled a hand through his sky blue spiky hair and huffed on his bangs, feeling a tinge of remorse. Maybe he shouldn't have said that. There was no need to be so harsh. He turned his head to the side.

"Look, I don't know what you're doing out here, but you'll get sick. And that's just assuming you already aren't, so…"

She stared at him. What the hell was he getting at? "If you want to say something, you should probably just say it."

He sighed. "Straight forwardness has never been my forte." He placed his hands on her shoulder and hoisted her up to her feet. His fingers were warm. He quickly shrugged his arms out of his short-sleeved, navy blue jacket with a high collar, and swathed it around Xion's stiff upper body. It left him only in his black undershirt and white pants. She gave him a quizzical look.

He waved it off. "You look cold, so, just go ahead and wear that."

She blushed slightly as she snuffed her arms through the sleeves. She definitely couldn't fit it, but it made her all the more warm.

She gave him her signature grin. "Thank you!"

He nodded. "No problem. Where you headed?"

She lost her breath. Where _was _she headed? She knew she was on the search for Sora, but where exactly did she plan to start looking? She had no leads, no clues, no foundation or basis of what could lead her into the right direction. She didn't even know if there was a direction worth following to begin with.

She shamefully bowed her head. "Nowhere in particular."

The boy sighed. What was he getting himself into with this girl? "Come on, my place isn't far from here. You can stay there for a bit."

He led the way and Xion followed behind as she looked at him admirably. "You have your own place?"

He scoffed. "That's the dream. Too bad reality isn't as generous. No, I live with my old man. He might seem a little cold at first, but as long as you keep your distance, you should be alright."

"Okay."

"I should know from experience…"

"Hm?"

"It's nothing." He turned to her. "By the way, I'm Isa."

She nodded. "They call me Xion."

"Who's they?"

"My lovely fans that adore me to no end!"

He raised a brow. "You mean people that don't exist?"

"Not yet, anyway! But hey, started from the bottom—"

"And end at the bottom, most likely."

"Geez, lighten up, dude. I'm only kidding."

Isa stopped and rubbed the back of his scalp. She cast confused glances, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Um—" she began.

"Sorry. I'm not myself today. Got a lot on my mind." They continued walking.

"Speaking of which, you never told me why you're out here?"

"My old man wanted me deliver something to someone. As to why he can't do it himself—no idea. He's always tossing me around to do his bidding. It's one of the perks of being his son."

His sarcasm stabbed all bouts of humor.

"You need to cheer up," she accused.

"Good luck with that." He smirked.

"Okay, I got it! Here's a doozy of mine! Why do they call it the funny bone?"

He gave her an odd look. "What?"

She bounced up and down. "Come on, come on! Ask why!"

He sighed. "Okay, Xion. Why do they call it the funny bone?"

"Because it's located near the _humerus!" _Ba-dum crash. "Bwahahahahahaha! Comedic gold, amiright?"

Horrendous, but it was her energy that made Isa chuckle. It wasn't long before he eventually died of laughter. It came out of nowhere. He spent so many days sulked in misery that any excuse to laugh, to be happy, he would take advantage of. As his laughter simmered, Xion gave him a smile.

"Feel better now?"

He nodded with a chuckle. "Yeah, I do, actually."

"Good! I hate seeing people look all sad and depressed."

He chuckled. "Where does your energy come from?"

"Hakuna Matata!"

He shook his head. "Sorry I asked…"

She giggled as they pressed on.

* * *

"All in do time." With a telephone to his ear, a man with long, blue hair similar to Isa's, but longer, stood by a tan marble counter. "How convenient that you come to me in times of desperation like this, Xehanort, but I suppose opportune moments should never be left to chance."

"Saïx," Master Xehanort's voice spoke from the other line, "it won't be much longer that I will not be able to resist the urge to unleash the Heartless into Radiant Garden."

"I understand that."

"Of course, to release my Heartless at full discharge, you do realize what must happen?"

Saïx grit his teeth. "Master Xeha—"

"I need the power of darkness at my disposal. But see, the thing is I need certain artificial mana to increase stability, and there's only one source to that specific type of darkness."

Saïx said nothing as his forehead slouched in disappointment.

"You know what you must do," Xehanort continued.

"Master Xehanort, if there's any other way—"

"There isn't. You've put this on yourself, Saïx. Only a fool would use their own son for radiation experimentation."

Saïx slammed his fist into the nearby wall. "Don't put that on me, I did that to save him! He would have died if he didn't have a balance between light and dark. If he weren't so much like his mother…"

"It's too late. You know that there is only one way to save the world from implosion. To do this, we must inject darkness to balance out the light. Times are desperate, Saïx. I need to know if I can rely on you to do what is right."

Saïx sighed; he slid his hand down the wall. "Yes, Master. I'll do as you wish."

"Good. I'd like a report as soon as possible."

Saïx hung up immediately. He could hear the arrogant smirk forming on Xehanort from the other end. That son of his wasn't worth this much trouble. He always found a way to make life more difficult. On the bright side, that would make his sacrifice a lot more bearable. He had to this for the world's sake.

"Father," said a monotone voice. At the table behind Saïx sat a girl with light steel-blue hair roughly jaw length. It covered her left eye. She wore a blue sleeveless jacket and Capri pants.

He turned around. "What is it, Fuu?"

"Disapproval."

"Well, what do you _want _me to do? If I don't retract that darkness from Isa, the world is doomed. And there's only one way to retract inner darkness."

Fuu shook her head with vacant eyes. "Disapproval," she repeated.

"There's nothing else I can do, Fuu," Saïx said as he leaned against the counter, watching as the stove boiled a pot across the room. "Master Xehanort says that if we don't balance out the light with darkness, then there's no hope for the world. Light—it can't exist without darkness. Master Xehanort is only trying to save us, and he needs my help."

Saïx made his way over to the stove and cut the flames off. He used a set of chopsticks to pick up deep-fried pork cutlet and rolled it in breadcrumbs. He set it down on the table before his daughter. "Eat up. It's your favorite, Tonkatsu."

The sharp stillness never left her ogle. "Disapproval. Not for Isa."

"Are you still on that?"

"Brother."

"I know he's your brother, and I realize it must be hard for someone your age to understand, but you must come to see that what's done will be for the best." He narrowed his eyes. "Besides, the kid is more trouble than he's worth."

"Excuses."

With blaze embedded into his stare, he slapped her on the cheek. "Quiet, insignificant bitch!" She barely had time to recover before he seized her head and slammed it into the table. She groaned in pain—although, her expression looked experienced. "I'm doing what's best for society and I don't want you questioning me!"

Fuu didn't break a sweat. "Guilt."

He threw her off the table along as her plate crashed onto the wooden floor.

"And you know what? Just for that, you're going to assist me—or else you'll have to share the same fate as him!"

Fuu's arms shuddered as she used what little strength she had to lift herself to her feet. "Father…"

Saïx ignored her as he wiped his hands off with a nearby towel—his face highly uninterested in her suffering. "Oh, grow up. Daddy won't be there all the time once you get out into the real world, so suck it up and get tough." He chucked a nearby towel at her as he went into the living room. "Clean yourself up."

Fuu trembled as she made it into a sitting position. Her face, now slightly edged with worry, took a look at the small scrape on her left wrist. "Pain…" she whispered as she held onto the injury.

* * *

Through traded laughter, Isa and Xion stepped to the front porch of a small house, very reminiscent of a cabin. He turned to her.

"You know, you're pretty cool," he admitted. "I don't typically find girls like you around very often." _Super cute, too, _he admitted mentally.

She smirked as she crossed her arms. "I'm a diamond in the rough."

He scoffed playfully. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Too late," she giggled. "I was born ten miles ahead of the game!" She struck a pose.

"Dork," he jeered. "And that pose makes you look ridiculous, especially with the jacket."

"I smell jealousy~," she sang.

Isa slipped his hand beneath the welcome mat and pulled out a key. He unlocked the door and stepped back as he mockingly bowed. "After you, my lady."

Xion followed along with the act as she made a snooty expression and strutted into his home. "Smart kid."

Isa frowned. He caught up to her. "Kid? Oh no, my dear. What you are in the presence of is," he flexed, "a _man._"

She plucked at his chin. "Right. I'm sure your one string of chin hair gives weight to that."

He mockingly slapped her hand away. "Aw, what do you know? You're gonna regret those words one day, missy."

"Hey, when your pecks give Hercules a run for his money—then we'll talk."

He shook his head with a smile. "Deal."

The house felt cozy. The wooden walls illuminated with various candles offered a warm setting.

"So, this is your place, huh?" she asked off-handedly. "Must be nice…"

"Hm? You say something?"

"Oh, it wasn't anything important," she waved off.

He led her to the kitchen where they found Fuu sweeping some glass into the dust pan. Isa raised an eyebrow.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Accident."

He rolled his eyes. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be deadpan, you sure do make quite the klutz."

She didn't bare him a glance.

"What? No snarky one-word comeback?"

She picked up the dust pan and walked past him and Xion, dumping the shattered glass into the trash can. She looked at Isa. "Sorry."

She left the room, leaving Isa and Xion puzzled.

"What was that all about?" Xion asked. "Who was that girl?"

Isa shook it off as he scooted a chair back at the table. "My sister. Don't worry; she's always like that—well, kinda. She actually seemed a little bit more melancholic."

Melancholic? To Xion, she just seemed bitter and emotionless. Isa rubbed his hands together as he stepped over to the stove. "Looks like it's Tonkatsu again." He peeked inside the fridge. "I guess that's all we had." Xion stood there without knowing what to do. He presented her the chair he scooted back. "Have a seat."

Xion did so reluctantly, all the while keeping her muscles tensed and contracted. Detailed portraits of monsters and demons were mounted on the wall and they gave her a threatening glare. While Isa fixed both of their plates, she breathed heavily. She had to get more comfortable somehow.

Isa sat across from her and offered her plate. "Go on, eat. You look like you could use something to fill that belly."

"Thanks!" Xion dug in. It had been a while since she had homemade food. "Mm! Yummy!" She obnoxiously gulped.

He bit a piece off of his own pork. "You sure do like to swallow."

She frowned upon decoding his double entendre. "Screw you, asshole."

Their banter was cut short when Saïx entered. An awkward pause gelled time. He looked at his son for answers.

"Dad, I'm home," said Isa, setting his sight back on his food.

"Yeah, I didn't notice." He rolled his eyes. "Who's your little friend?"

"This is Xion. She's just some prostitute."

Xion lightly smacked Isa on the shoulder as he laughed. She extended her hand to Saïx. "My name's Xion, but I promise you I'm no prostitute."

Saïx walked past her, refusing to shake her hand. "Good. Or else I would have been concerned for your parent's common sense."

"Both of my parents are dead."

Isa coughed to fill in the awkward silence that followed as Saïx washed his hands at the sink, making sure he didn't glance back.

"Nice job, Dad."

Saïx growled at him before drying his hands with the towel. "I'm sorry to hear that, Xion." His tone said otherwise. "Do not take this the wrong way, but why exactly are you here and what's your relation to my son?"

Xion opened her mouth, but Isa beat her to the punch. "She's just someone I found after I delivered that thing to Xehanort. I figured she could use a place to stay."

"That's Master Xehanort to you. And did it not occur to you to maybe see if I was okay with it first?"

Isa tapped his chin pretending to think hard. "Hm, you're right. I didn't think about it. But even if I did, I wouldn't have given a shit anyway."

Xion subdued her laughter.

"I see…" Moments like these repressed the guilt Saïx would inevitably have once he'd get rid of his son. It made his job easier. "Carry on." Saïx walked back into the living room.

"You and your dad seem _really _close!" she said enthusiastically.

"Yup. Candidate for father of the year right there."

"So, uh, what _is _the deal with you two?"

"He's just an asshole," Isa said nonchalantly. "He's never there for me and Fuu, always in that stupid laboratory. And he's just selfish. That's his middle name. Like this one time, he spent all of the money we had on parts for some stupid science project, and he bought some meals—for himself. Fuu and I couldn't go anywhere near his stash."

She gaped. "Are you serious?"

"Tch, yeah. His excuse was that he needed the fuel more than we did, since he was gonna be hard at work or whatever."

"That's terrible."

"Tell me about it," Isa said, using a fork to push his play with his food. "To be honest with you, I don't think he's really all that bad. He just—makes bad choices."

"Yeah…" Xion muttered. She couldn't relate since she hadn't had a father in a long time, but certainly he wasn't as bad as that. "I'm sorry you've had to go through that."

He sighed and tried to put on a much warmer expression. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure the last thing you want to hear about is my angsty past. Sorry about that."

She waved it off. "No, it's fine, really. I'm the one who asked, with my nosy ass."

He chuckled. "Well, I guess that's one way to put it." Isa lost his appetite as he pushed his plate away slightly. "So, you never told me why you were out in the streets so late."

Her face softened from its glow. "I was looking for someone. Someone very important to me."

Isa averted his eyes. "Oh." He rested his chin on a fist, thinking deeply. "Um… this person you're looking for, is it a guy?"

"Huh?"

"The person you're looking for, must be a guy, right?"

Was that disappointment she detected in his tone? She inwardly giggled at the possibility and decided to mess with him a little. "Yeah, it is a boy." Hey, she wasn't lying.

"Oh."

No. Way.

Was Isa jealous? She giggled, making him cast a slightly annoyed look. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Just your face."

"Hmph."

"You know, that guy is really something—you know, the one I'm looking for. He's so sweet and protective; I don't know what I would do without him by my side. I love him so much."

"Gross."

She couldn't restrain her giggles.

"I'm seriously not getting what the hell is so funny!" Isa rolled his eyes as he stood from the table. "I'm out, man."

She stopped laughing but maintained a smile. "Wait!" She reached over the table and pinched his cheek. "Hey, why's your face all red, huh?"

He broke out of her hold. "Knock it off! Just forget it, okay?"

He made his way towards the door, but she jumped in front of him before he could make his exit. Her smile refused to disappear. "You know," she said a little softer, "the guy I'm talking about happens to be my big brother."

With a red stained face, Isa lowered his head in shame. "I knew that."

"No way did you know! Admit it, you were totally jealous!"

"Jealous?" he scoffed. "Jealous of what? I have nothing to be jealous of."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure, okay."

"Okay."

She tilted her head with a smirk. "And just in case if you're wondering, I'm not seeing anybody else right now."

His blush deepened. "W-Why would I need to know something like that?" He chuckled nervously.

"Mm…" Xion hummed. "Okay."

She made her way back to the table as she finished off her dinner. He raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what?"

"Nothing," she teased.

He smirked as he sat back across from her. "No, I wanna know."

She pretended to look innocent. "Nothing, really. It's nothing worth mentioning."

"Bullshit. Anything someone as weird as you could come up with is worth mentioning, even if it's pointless."

"That doesn't even make sense. If it's pointless, then theoretically—"

"I didn't ask, you know?"

"You are such a dick."

"Don't knock my hustle."

They shared a laugh. Something about each other made them comfortable. It was an almost instant connection. Once their laughter died down, Isa yawned.

"Tired?"

"Exhausted. My dad had me running around town like a headless chicken all day. I can't wait to catch some z's."

Isa stood from the table. "You can sleep in the living room. There's a couch in there. If you need anything, I'll be in my room. It's upstairs, then you make a left. Should be the second door down that hall. Fuu will help you out if you need it."

It was almost as if he had this all figured out. "Do you know where the bathroom is? I could use a good shower."

"It's right across from my room."

"Okay, thanks! Seriously, can't say that enough."

He smirked through his half-lidded eyes. "Goodnight." She returned his goodnight as he made his way upstairs. At the confirmation of him gone, she sighed lovingly. There certainly was something about Isa that she never felt before.

Later, after hopping out of a steamy shower, Xion walked into the living room, but stopped once she heard a muffled voice from around the corner. She peered by the wall to find Saïx on the phone with Fuu sitting on a nearby stool obediently and emotionless.

"Master Xehanort, you'll have to put them at full discharge soon. You've been laying low on the Heartless for far too long at this point. It's time to put an end to this behind the scenes charade."

Heartless? What on earth was he talking about?

"Don't worry, Xehanort. I haven't forgotten about Isa. But we'll postpone that for tomorrow. He's brought a friend over today, and I'd hate to spoil her visit."

"That's almost kind of you," Fuu input. She received a quick smack before Saïx returned his attention to the phone.

"But if he does anything to get under my skin, I'll do it and extract his darkness. Yes. Yes, okay. I understand." Saïx hung up. He looked at Fuu carelessly before making his way out. Xion backed up into the wall as Saïx passed, making the older man not able to notice her. Once he was gone, Xion ran further into the sector and helped Fuu up. It seemed like this part of the living room had more books.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. You should leave."

Xion raised a brow. "But why is it dangerous?"

Fuu turned her head. "Can't say. Just leave, please."

"I can't do that, not if Isa's safety is in danger. I don't know what your creepy dad is doing, but I'm not gonna sit here while he has his way with Isa."

Fuu closed her eyes before giving Xion an assured look. If that was what her heart decided, then Fuu had no right to stop her. Fuu touched her shoulder as she passed by. "Good luck."

She knew something, but she wasn't telling Xion. She seemed too reserved to let out any secrets. "You don't have to take that from him, you know."

Fuu stopped.

"If you let him control you like that—the cycle will never end." She turned around. "I just think that maybe you should stand up for yourself."

"Unnecessary."

"But why?"

"Because," Fuu said, sternly, "he's still my father."

Her exit plunged all energy in the room into a black hole. How could Saïx do something like that? How could he shamelessly strike his daughter without any regard? No wonder Isa seemed so resentful to him. What was his connection to the Heartless? And who was this Master Xehanort? If only Sora were there. His intelligence might have led way for reasonable deduction. It wasn't to undermine her own smarts, but Sora was born with the ability to break down convoluted blockades into logical calculation.

Xion sat on the sofa, getting a feel of its softness. It took her ten minutes to get comfortable enough to lie down. She wrapped herself in a blanket conveniently at her disposal. The comforter snuggled her into a warm fatigue, her eye lids eventually weighed down.

* * *

She stayed there for a week. Isa changed from his initial mock douchery to a sweetheart. He always made sure Xion was well fed and provided for. His nurturing was a nice distraction. She didn't want to think about Sora how miserable she really felt without him around.

Xion walked out from the shower, bumping into Isa unexpectedly. "Oh, sorry."

Isa rubbed the back of his head with crimson skin. "O-Oh, it's no big deal."

She raised a brow. It seemed like the longer she spent time with Isa, the more nervous he seemed to get around her. Could it have been that he was starting to have feelings for her?

"I-I'm, just gonna..." Isa trailed as she backed into the room.

Xion smiled. "Okay, goodnight!"

Xion walked past Saïx on her way to the living room, his face scrunched with anger. "Have you seen Isa?" he asked her.

"Um, upstairs," she trembled. He had the tendency to freak her out.

"Thank you. Do you have anything you would like to say to him?"

"Uh, I guess not. Not right now. Why?"

"No reason." Saïx stormed upstairs red hot.

Xion decided to let it go and enter the living room, where she lied down on the couch. It wasn't long until her fatigue proved to be too much.

Through darkness, she heard a blur of violent yells, harsh words, and even a few hurtled obstacles. She thought nothing more of it as she got herself more comfortable. The sound of the door being swung open initiated her alertness. She sat up to find Isa busting into the living room. He stood by the window and punched the wall, letting his fist rest there for a moment. "Fuck!"

He panted heavily. He calmed himself once he let out a wavy breath.

Xion stood from the couch and stepped towards him cautiously. "Isa?"

He turned around with wide eyes. "Oh, Xion! I forgot you were asleep here."

"I heard some weird noises. Is everything okay?" she asked while rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry about waking you up, but yeah, everything's cool." His eyes contradicted his statement.

She pointed at him sharply. "Come on, now, I know when somebody's lying to me. Don't hide from me, Isa."

He averted his gaze. "It's nothing."

She retreated her finger after realizing he was seriously detached. "Okay, seriously, what happened?"

He threw his hands up. "My dad was just being a dick, okay? Not that it's anything new. He said something about me having no right to bring strangers into our household or something, but I told him to shove it." He put on a smirk. "But it's all good, because once I get out of this house, I'll be free as a bird, and hey, this miserable, pathetic excuse of a life I have right now practically won't exist."

She touched his arm with sympathy. "You don't have to repress your feelings."

He chuckled. "What is there to repress? You know? I've always been the contrary to his magnum opus experiments that have really blown him up," he said sarcastically. "What's the use in getting mad? I'm used to this; I'm used to him shoving me to the side. So until I get out of this hellhole, I'll deal."

He walked passed her.

"Isa—"

He turned around immediately. "No, it's okay, Xion. I don't need him, okay? I mean, I've gotten through sixteen birthdays without him even saying happy birthday, he wasn't there for my first paycheck, he wasn't there for my sister, so why should I care?" He laughed. "What the fuck am I supposed to care about? He didn't even pay us a visit at the hospital when Fuu had a heart attack and was on the verge of death, but oh, he can stop by when he needs me to deliver something to someone. He's always keeping himself in the dark like his hooded secrets. Don't even get me started on what he did to our god damn mother during an experiment but told us to keep quiet about to maintain his image, so he can GO TO HELL!"

Throughout breaths, Isa slowly turned towards Xion with fiery dark orbs that soon washed into a blue stare. "He can go to hell…"

Xion wrapped her arms around him. His body flushed with allay, in the midst of his aggressive tongue, forced temple, and bumbling utterances—all he needed was a hug to cool him down. He hugged her back.

"I'm sorry…" It felt like such a weak response, especially since apparently Saïx had did something terrible to his mother. She really wanted to know more about that, but of course, it would be inappropriate to ask about that now.

Isa just wanted to feel her warmth. Hugs felt so foreign. He had been delayed of one for years. He forced himself to gently push himself away from her.

"I'm getting the hell out of here."

In any other scenario, she'd protest. But if Isa's claims were true, his conclusion was undoubtedly justified. She nodded. "Okay."

"You're not gonna stop me?"

"Why would I? I'm with you all the way."

He smiled. "Okay, stay right here. I'm gonna go get some vitals like clothes and some food. I'm sure Fuu might lend you some of her clothes, too." He made his way upstairs. She sat at the couch waiting for him to come back. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. No wonder he was so resentful to Saïx. She never saw his father as Dad of the Year, but she didn't see him as a bad guy. How rapidly her view of him modified at the reveal of such red furtive.

Another crash was heard from the next room. This time, she showed no hesitation to running into the scene. She came across Isa being spread across the table with Saïx hovered over him with a knife clenched into his fist.

"This is for the world's own good, Isa!"

Isa struggled to get out of his father's hold. "Get off! Get off!"

Xion sprung towards Saïx but was kicked in the side almost immediately. She looked up to see Fuu standing before her.

"Fuu, what the hell! Your dad is about to kill your brother!"

She said nothing—she only turned her head to the side with shut eyes.

Isa kicked Saïx off of him and the table plunged to the floor. He edged his hands across the floor while bending his knees, desperately trying to scurry away. Saïx leaped over the fallen table and grabbed his son by the ankle. He brought the jagged knife up and brought it down into his Isa's thigh with unrestricted oblige.

With a howl of agony, Isa used his unhampered leg to kick his father in the jaw—a shower of saliva raced out of his mouth.

Saïx wasn't hurt for long, and he put his hands up ready to grab Isa again, but he was put to halt when Xion crunched his nose with her right fist.

She helped the weary Isa to his feet, but Fuu somersaulted into the air and hit Xion with fast kicks. She scratched at Xion by the shoulders, leaving a vivid scrape. The paralyzed raven bumped the floor overwhelmed.

Isa, with what little strength remaining in his tank, attempted to bump his sister with his shoulder. Fuu was too fast and spun out of the way. She used her elbow to jab into his right side, knocking him to the floor.

"Isa, what the hell is this…?" Xion asked tiredly.

He chuckled nervously. "Uh, did I mention that my sis knows martial arts?"

Xion's head dropped. "Great…"

Fuu grappled Isa by the scalp and lifted his head to meet with her eyes. A cold stare transitioned from one eye to the other. Isa gasped once Fuu's cold stare turned into something he had never seen his sister do—she showed emotion. Her eyes seared from the pressure, and her eyebrows faltered into a heartrending crease. She dropped her brother and collapsed onto her knees.

"Can't do it…" she murmured. "Won't do it…"

Saïx growled as he staggered back to his feet with a hand to his right eye. "I should have known; you're just as weak as I thought you were. Fine! I'll do this myself!"

Saïx raised his fist with his eyes locked onto Isa. Isa took cover. Xion coiled up and seized the knife out of Isa's thigh, which resulted in a brief grunt, and she swung it at Saïx's elbow. Her swiftness didn't allow Saïx to recover and retaliate. He yelled in pain.

Xion helped Isa to his feet once again. "Come on, let's book! I know a place where we can go!"

They scampered off, albeit Isa wincing with every step. Fuu sat without emotion. She didn't know what to think, but she allowed her conscious to get the best of her. She knew she did the right thing, but at the same time, her father—he'd surely disapprove.

Saïx pounded a fist into the floor. "Damn it!"

* * *

Xion opened the window to the library. It looked the same as she left it. She hopped inside and held out a hand for Isa, whom she pulled inside with her. He stumbled, making Xion hold him by the stomach to keep his balance. He nodded to her reassuringly.

Xion went into one of the cabinets and pulled out some matches and the first aid kit. She ignited one of them and lit the candles to give the room its proverbial dim radiance. She collapsed onto the floor with a heavy sigh. "I'm so tired."

Isa put out his left foot and slipped. He collided into the floor. Xion immediately got up and ran towards him. "Isa! Are you okay?" She lifted his upper body and rested him on her thighs.

He chuckled. "Yeah. Just glad that I'm finally gone from there."

Xion unhinged the first aid box and dug her hand inside until she found some white wrapping. "What stopped you from leaving before? With a father like him, I'm surprised you didn't bail sooner." She unraveled his pants sleeve to reveal his thick, bloody sore in the center of his thigh. He flinched, causing her to apologize.

He sighed. "It's because I didn't have a reason to."

"And what was so different about this time?"

"You."

She blushed slightly as she applied some alcohol onto a cloth. "U-Um, this is gonna sting a little."

She dabbed the alcohol on his gash. Isa forced himself to keep his calm in check as he fastened his eyes and forced the twinge away.

She smirked at his apparent efforts. "Why are you trying so hard to hold in the pain?"

He opened one eye and grinned. "So that you don't have to see how uncool I look…"

She rolled her eyes as she wrapped his thigh up tightly. "There, good as new."

He examined his leg. "What are you? Some kind of nurse?"

"My brother would get into a lot of trouble, so I'd always fix him up if he ever came home hurting. Lucky for you, I'm a pro at this."

He sat up. "Thanks."

"You remind me of him."

"Huh? Who? Your brother?"

She nodded.

He slumped his chin on his hand. _Her brother? Friend zoned if I ever heard of it, _Isa thought.

She tipped her head to the side. "What's the matter?"

He looked at her with slightly broadened eyes before pretending to cough into his fist. "Uh, nothing."

She shook her head but kept a smile before frowning. "So, I hate to ask but—but—um—how do I say this?"

"My mom. You wanna know about my mom, right?"

She lowered her head in shame.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's natural that you'd be curious. To tell you the truth, I don't know much about it. There's stuff about it he hasn't told me to this day about how she died. All I remember was him telling Fuu and I about how he and mom were working on something in the basement."

"In the basement?"

"It's where his base of operations used to be, but after some dude named Xehanort was put down years ago, the government got a lot more aware of the town. The last thing my dad, or—Saïx needed, was for him to be put behind bars because of illegal experimentation. Before that, though, he and mom went down to the basement." He scoffed. "It was just another regular day, you know? Me and Fuu would argue, play, and run around the house. Well, I would, Fuu mostly liked reading books. Then we heard Mom screaming."

Xion gasped.

"Not too sure of the details, but looking back now, I can only infer that he experimented on her, but it ended up killing her."

Xion raised a brow.

"I know. It sounds a little kooky. But you never know about someone's story until they tell it."

"Could you tell me why your dad seems so bent on these experiments?"

"Tch, as if he told me. All I know is that he constantly has me sending transcripts and blueprints of these—these weird contraptions to some guy named Xehanort."

The name of the man Saïx spoke of on the phone earlier. Who was this Xehanort? Was he some kind of big deal?

"Xehanort, huh?"

"Yeah. But what does it matter? Now Saïx can go off and suck his dick without me in his life. Nothing matters anymore…"

She laid a hand on his. "That's not true. _You _matter, Isa."

"In what way?"

"Well, you saved my booty back there. I would have frozen to death if you hadn't come to my rescue earlier. So you matter to me…"

He laughed. "You're basing your statement off of a coincidence."

She groaned. "Thanks for ruining the moment, douche whore."

He shrugged smugly. "Hey, I'm just sayin'."

"But I mean, are you really complaining?" she asked as she got a little bit closer.

Isa was surprisingly calm. It probably had to do with the fact that they were truly alone this time.

"Of course not. Because by coincidence, I got to meet a really cute girl."

She smirked. "My, my, Isa, are you _flirting _with me?"

He chortled. "Judging by the proximity your closing in between us, I'd say it's you who's flirting with me."

She giggled and gave him a sheepish smile before caressing his cheek. "Okay, _now _I'm flirting."

She closed in on him with her eyes closed. He imitated her actions as their lips pressed against each other. As their tongues battled against each other, he could taste her cherry lips. She fell over and collapsed on his body.

They laughed at their clumsy making out before Xion stared at him with sultry eyes. He raised his head slightly with his eyes shut, expecting another kiss. She teased him by getting up and sitting down on the nearby table in a very succulent pose.

"You're such a tease."

"And you're super thirsty." She wagged her finger at him. "This is going a little fast, don't you think?"

He stood up and made his way towards her. He stroked her face and kissed her. She licked her lips as he retreated. "But I mean, are you really complaining?"

She lowered her head and snickered before looking back at him. "Of course not, because by coincidence, I'm with a really cute guy I like."

"Well, duh." He kissed her again. She returned the kiss deeply. The young couple spread the table as Isa continued kissing down her collarbone. She rewarded him with pleasurable moans as her back bent in satisfaction.

"You're really good at this Isa," she moaned. "Experienced, much?"

He made his way up to her neck. She could feel his smirk against her. "I may have done this before—once or twice. What about you?"

She blushed. "This is actually m-my first time…"

He looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "Your first time? Really?" He proceeded to suck on her neck.

"Y-Yeah, why's that such a surprise?"

"It's just that I'd expect cute girls to have lost their virginity at your age by now."

She frowned. "So, what? Just because I'm apparently attractive, it means I'm automatically a slut?"

"No!" he sputtered. "I just figured that guys would be all over you and eventually you'd find someone you liked well enough to—you know…"

"My brother wouldn't let me out of this dump, so I was stuck here most of the time."

"That's not cool. You're a big girl, and should be free to do what you want." He kissed his way down as he lifted her tank top to reveal her slim belly.

"That's what I said. But he was just being the big ol' protective brother he's always been ever since we lost our parents. On the bright side, even though he was being stubborn, if he hadn't been, I wouldn't have gotten to meet you."

He grinned. "I guess that means you hit the jackpot, huh?"

She rolled her eyes. "I guess so."

"You guess? Aw, that wasn't the answer I was looking for." He pecked her on the lips before he deepened their kiss. He pulled back, earning a slight pout from Xion for ending it so abruptly.

"Why'd you stop?"

"Admit that I'm the jackpot."

"Okay, okay—for a first time, you sure do know what you're doing. So I guess I've hit the jackpot, or whatever."

"I knew it!"

"Ugh, just shut up and kiss me."

* * *

She woke up at dawn.

With dreary blurred vision, Xion looked at her surroundings. Wrapped beneath a cover, a draft delimited her. She covered her naked breasts as she sat up. By her side, a shirtless Isa slept soundly.

"He's so cute."

Xion stood up and felt the burden from the gust of a cracked open window. Xion quickly closed it before it could fill the room with any more chilliness. She put on her underwear, bra, shorts, and tank top once again. She walked over to the window and sat in a nearby chair. She slumped on the window sill and looked at the break of dawn sky.

"Ah, it's the Radiant Garden festival today…"

Even though she had Isa, painful memories swam through the pit of her mind that reminded her that she still had no clue of where Sora was. She admitted that although she liked Isa very much, she was subconsciously using him to forget about her problems with Sora. She used everything since she met Isa as a distraction from her own problems.

Arms snaked around her waist. She giggled as she backed into his hold. "I didn't hear you wake up."

"I'm badass like that."

"Sure, sure. I know that arrogance of yours is gonna get the best of you someday."

"Nah, I'm balanced. I'm only arrogant for my girlfriend."

She blushed to his verification. She never had a boyfriend before, but perhaps he was right. They liked spending time together, they bonded quite easily, and they even had sex. Sounded like the quotas to a relationship to her.

"Okay then, boyfriend, what's the plan for today?"

"I dunno. I just feel like sleeping in today." He yawned as he released her and staggered towards the table, scratching his back. "What about you?"

"I'm hungry."

Damn it. "Uh, yeah, good luck with that." He tucked himself back into the cover. She rolled her eyes and shook him rambunctiously.

"Oh no you don't, you're not about to go to sleep on me that easily! It's time to wake up!"

He groaned. "Come on, babe, can't you sleep?"

"Not on an empty stomach, I can't."

"I'm exhausted. Can't you eat something in the fridge?"

She smirked. "Sure, if we had a fridge."

He ignored her as he got comfortable. She sighed as she stood up. "Well, I _was _gonna say that we could go another round—if you know what I mean? But since you're so tired…"

"Who's tired?" Isa said as he kipped up.

She smiled. "Great, since you're not tired, you can't help me go grab some food from the market while we're at it!"

He slumped in defeat. "Alright, you got me. I'll go get you something."

She clapped. "Perfect!" Isa got dressed as Xion bounced around the room. "Come on, come on! You're taking way too long!"

He buttoned up his jacket. "What are you in such a hurry for?"

She planted on the floor. "I thought we were going out to the Market Place to snatch some grub."

He laughed. "There's no need for that. I get that's what you had to do before, but I've got some spare change on me. I can go buy us something."

She slumped. "I mean, that's great, but I wanna come too."

"No way. I can do this by myself. The Market Place is full of creeps, it's a tad dangerous. I can't have you getting hurt. You just go on ahead and relax. Keep that sexy body nice and fit for me when I get back, too." He winked.

She pouted as she crossed her arms. "Not cool, Isa. I hate being cast aside like this."

"Trust me, it's for your own good. I'm only looking out for what's best for you." He kissed her on the cheek.

"Whatever happened to me being a big girl who can make her own decisions?"

His eyes widened. "Well, now I guess I kinda know what your bro meant, Xi. Now that I've gotten to know you and stuff, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I saw you got hurt. Trust me, there'll be other times when you can come along, but this time, I just really don't want to take a chance."

She groaned. "You sound just like him. God, it's like I'm dating my brother all the sudden." She cringed to the disgusting thought that created horrible pictures—especially with their shenanigans from last night. "Gross!"

He bent down slightly to level with her. "Hey." She refused to look at him. "Come on, don't act like that."

"Hmph."

He sighed. "Alright. You'll be over it by the time I get back. Tell you what; I'll even let you punch me in the arm once I return. Sound good?"

She sighed but gave him a slight smirk. "Okay, you're forgiven. Just hurry back, alright?"

"No worries. And hey, don't think about me too much."

She playfully shoved his face away as she strutted towards the window. He kissed her one last time before he made his way down the ladder. She waved him goodbye as she closed the curtains.

Unknown to the two lovers, Fuu stood watch around the corner. She spoke into a phone. "Father, I've found him."

Once she closed the curtains, depression hit her immediately. With Isa gone, she was no longer distracted and could face the facts. Sora wasn't there and she wasn't sure if he was even alive. It had been two weeks since she had seen him. She could only confirm that he was dead.

That idiot—he promised that he wouldn't leave her. He promised that he'd stay by her side, and now he was gone forever and she'd never see him again. If he weren't so stubborn and cocky, none of this would have happened.

Tears leaked from her eyes. She couldn't bear to come to the realization that he was deceased. No longer would he be there to make sure she was okay. His doting would never be able to annoy her any longer—but she surprisingly missed that. She missed all the times he would constantly ask her if she were hungry and immediately go out into town despite perhaps being sick or tired, risking his own health just to preserve hers. She could never thank him enough. He truly was the best brother she could ever ask for.

But he was gone. She'd never see him again.

On the bright side, she had Isa now—he was practically the reincarnation of her brother, aside from a few minor differences like how he was a bit lazier than Sora and not as naturally intelligent and cynical, nor was Sora as carefree as Isa, but the similarity was undeniable. Perhaps it was what attracted her to him. He filled in the hole that was left behind in Sora's absence.

She looked out into the sky. It was getting dark. She had been moping around for quite a while now. It had to have been at least forty minutes. She didn't expect a quick trip, especially with the Radiant Garden festival going on, but he should have been back now, shouldn't he have been?

She checked outside the window every five minutes to see any signs of her boyfriend, but every time her eyes came back with empty sighted results.

In what felt like a flash, two hours had passed and it was dusk. A thick cloud loomed over the town. The modest rain turned haughty in due time.

Why hadn't he come back yet? Did he get hurt?

Or was it that she had been used? Did he simply hit it and quit it? He probably didn't want her to tag along because he wanted to ditch her—the prick. His stints of flattery were sham mirages to lead her to false affection. She couldn't stand it! How could he do that to her? How could he deceive her without any care?

She wasn't going to let him get away with it. She had already lost her brother to fate, but to lose someone who she thought she had a special connection with to treachery would not stand. With her eyes leaking angrily, she stepped out into the furious storm.

The streets were empty aside from litter leftover from the festival. In the distance, she noticed three figures fleeing from a scene. She couldn't make of their faces, but she could distinguish that it was a male and two females. She was tempted to chase after them to ask for answers, but she thought nothing more of it. It'd only be a waste of time.

She didn't allow the rain to alter her determination to find that two-timing asshole. The first stop she'd take would be towards Isa's house—there she would tell him off and maybe give him a good punch or two for using her for her body.

She stopped in the middle of a lifeless street. What the hell was she doing? With Sora gone, her paranoia had reached new heights. Did it get the best of her? With his death, she didn't know what to take of anyone anymore. She didn't know what to take of the world. It was new and relentless. No wonder her brother tried so hard to keep her away from it.

Even if he did simply use her for sex, what was the point in heading over there? What did she expect to accomplish? If only Sora were there. He'd know the exact words to make her feel better.

Too bad he was dead.

She turned around, preparing to amble back to the library, but something in a nearby alleyway caught her attention. She closed in on it, each step more stuttered than the last. She hovered over what seemed to be something underneath a large sheet. She raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"

She pulled the sheet off to reveal…

A lifeless body—who just so happened to belong to Isa.

A knife penetrated through his gut as his inert body slept eternally in a pool of blood. Next to him were two small packages of sushi dinner. He must have been on his way back when this happened. To think, she had doubted his loyalty. Vacant eyes, pale complexion, halted breath…

She gasped as the tears came on stronger than they ever could have. She rested atop his body and poured her heart out as the rain pelted on the mournful lover and her deceased companion's body.

How could this have happened? She had just met him! Why did all of this bullshit have to happen to her?

After what felt like everlasting weeping, she finally stood. The rain had composed itself. She lifted his body and drooped his arm over her shoulder. She dragged him until she found the perfect spot near the outskirts of Radiant Garden. After placing his body on the ground, she used her fingers to dig into the dirt with her sharp fingernails. She dug enough until the ditch was big enough to fit Isa's body. He deserved a proper burial.

She rolled her deceased boyfriend into the ditch before placing the dirt atop his body. She looked at his face one last time with her teary gaze before stuffing it with dirt. She collapsed onto her knees and sat there for a moment—giving Isa and Sora a moment of silence.

She had no one. She lost all hope. What good was this world? What good was it if it kept plucking the things she loved away from carelessly as if her emotions were apples on a tree? The universe obviously shared no empathy for her, so what should she care?

She looked to the sky and yelled. All the pain and anguish flew from her bellow, but it didn't stop the hurting. She stood up to her feet and sauntered towards the library uninspired. The rain eventually stopped.

She could hardly climb the ladder—her muscles were so weak. She dreadfully pulled herself into her home and fell onto the floor. She coughed hoarsely as she used her feet to shut the window. She dug her fingernails into the carpet as she pulled herself further inside, a tail of drizzle poured from her depressed eyes followed.

She used a chair to help her stand up. She coughed viciously. The weather had probably given her a cold. The symptoms came in quite fast. With fearful eyes, she looked at her hands. Her skin was pale, dead, lifeless…

Black bags hung loosely under her eyes.

She wandered past the book shelves—which looked like three dimensional vertigo at this point. She stopped once she came across the book they used for silverware. She took it out of its place and opened it until she found the knife. She carelessly dropped the book to the floor.

Xion staggered towards the corner and plumped down. Her life was a mess. She never got what she wanted. With every triumph, came a trial, and with every trial, she lost something dear to her. Well, no more.

Her fingertips graced the tip of the razor-sharp knife. Perhaps she could end the suffering, she could end the disappointments that life constantly granted her by simply doing away with herself. She couldn't endure anymore of this torture. Her life was a living hell, and it was time she did away with it.

She gently allowed the knife to touch her wrist.

This was it. She was about to end her life. Maybe if she were lucky, she'd be able to find her lost loved ones in a magical afterlife. She'd be able to see them—all of them. Her father, her mother, Isa…

Sora…

She didn't have anything else in this world to live for.

A feeling of betrayal clutched her heart like a caged animal. The silence in the room ripped through her sanity. Panic drizzled down her furrowed eyebrows, with shameful sweat acting as a coat of varnish for the inner psychotic welling up inside her. She had to cut the wire that fed her blood.

She started to softly cut at the vein in her wrist, but before she could proceed any further—she jumped at a hand grasping her by the shoulder.

Then the familiar voice. "Xion, it's me."

No way, it couldn't have been! He was dead, wasn't he? "S-S-S-S-S-Sor-Sor-Sor…?"

She slowly turned around to see that familiar caramel colored abnormally spiky hair and those determined indigo eyes.

Was it a ghost? Or was he alive? She couldn't tell.

His eyes pierced with confusion and concern, he glossed over her figure. He was lost. She didn't know what to feel. Could it have been that he really was alive all this time?

"Xion… what happened to you?"

* * *

**I'm back motherf*ckers!**

**I'm sorry for the really long chapter too, but I didn't have much time to develop Isa and Xion's relationship, so this was stretched quite a bit to give their dynamic at least some depth. **

**In two days, it would have been a complete month since my last update for this story, so I'm sorry for the wait! I've been really busy lately with some personal issues, but things seem to be settling down now with Winter Break, so hopefully I'll be able to get some updates out.**

**This chapter was very hard for me to write for some reason, even after I finished the outline and prewriting process for it, I was just very conflicted on how I wanted to go about this. I decided to make this a little more interesting. The lazy way to have done this would have been to make it that Xion was a noob at handling the town all by herself, which is a given. So I tried to add something more dynamic with Isa. I tried to make Isa a little different than the one we saw in BBS. I tried to make him a little reserved, but a lot more confident and outgoing.**

**Next chapter is gonna have a lot more Sokai so don't worry about that. I already know what I want to do for the next chapter and I'm actually very excited to write it all out, so that should be out very soon.**

**So, yeah! I really hope this chapter came out okay because you're reading my blood, sweat, and tears right here. PLEASE, REVIEW! I always appreciate it! Even if you don't like this chapter, TELL ME WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE! Even if it's the tiniest nitpick, let me know!**

**And I give a big thanks to everybody who has been showing support for this story! I love you all! :D**


	16. Bonding

"Excellent work, Saïx."

Five individuals were cooped up in Xehanort's lair, all dressed in black coats aside from Fuu, who wore a black catsuit.

"By retrieving your son's darkness, Saïx, you have paved way for the Heartless—and in doing so; we'll bring darkness to oppose this vain light."

Saïx chortled. "Naturally. I'm only doing what's best for the city. That little squirt wasn't worth the spare anyway. I almost feel guilty for being content of his riddance." He noticed his daughter's blank stare. "Why the long face?"

She shook her head absent-mindedly.

"Is it not obvious?" Xaldin interjected, his burly arms crossed. "The poor child's stricken with remorse. It's a predictable reaction from someone of her age."

"Why do you say that?" Saïx asked.

"You made her kill her own brother," Xemnas deadpanned.

Saïx rolled his eyes. "Don't judge me. It was her punishment for letting them get away so easily in the first place. I had to teach her discipline."

Xehanort touched his shoulder. "And what a fine lesson, indeed." He directed a smirk at Fuu; his sharp eyes sent a slight chill down her back. "She'll be over it eventually, and come to realize that what she did was for the best. It's a shame that death is the only way to extract darkness, but that's just the way it is. Now we have the darkness needed to power my Heartless Manufacturer."

"The Big Man will be pleased," Ansem muttered. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a short distance away from the rest of the clique.

"Hopefully, my partner in crime will do us good," Saïx said. "Vexen, Zexion, are you done?"

A man with long blond hair, who also garnered a black coat, entered from the back room with a snide smirk. Behind him was a young man with steel-blue hair. He had a book knotted in his fingers as he took off his glasses.

"We have successfully stabilized Isa's darkness so that we can power the Heartless manufacture," Vexen announced. "I say, Saïx, how devilishly brilliant of you to experiment on your own son—giving him a dose of artificial darkness. Who knew it'd come in so handy, yes?"

"I did what I had to do. When their mother didn't make the cut, I had nothing else to resort to." He looked at Fuu. "Fuu and I always have … _understood _each other more than Isa and I ever did." Fuu flashed him an unreadable expression. "He was more of the rebel of the family, never listening to me, always causing trouble. It made his unfortunate demise all the more tolerable."

"How you holdin' up?" Zexion asked.

"Well, he was my son. No parent wants to have to do away with their own flesh and blood, but I had no other choice. However, I think the pain of loss will subside in due time."

"Oh, please!" Xemnas interrupted. "How the hell could you kill your own son? You're not sad about anything!"

"Quiet, Xemnas!" Xehanort ordered. "We're doing this for the betterment of the world! Excuse him, Saïx, much like Isa—he needs to learn a bit more about respecting his elders."

Xemnas crossed his arms with his forehead scrunched.

"Alright," Xehanort addressed, "we attack at daybreak. Take Radiant Garden by force, and show no mercy. That castle will be ours." He clenched a fist.

* * *

Sora's father was a man of high expectations.

He wanted nothing less than the best for his son and daughter—a perfectionist in the art of caretaking. Is this what a parent felt like after losing their child after a long absence? Would his father approve of the way Sora handled the situation? What would he have done?

He couldn't allow those thoughts to topple this moment as he held his sister. The two siblings felt as if they were one, lost in their own guilt. One, for her lack of belief in her brother and the other, for not being responsible enough to stay by her side. Their tardy reunion was dragged on for far too long.

Xion had cried in his chest for the past couple of minutes before she piped up. "I-I thought you were dead, Sora! God fucking damn it, I thought you were gone!"

Just hearing her voice was like a remedy for his worries. "It's okay. I'm here now."

Behind them stood Kairi with her arms tied behind her back, her eyes a hue of meek fire. What was this funny feeling grumbling in her stomach? It most certainly wasn't hunger. It was guilt and anger that washed over her. She deliberately kept Sora away from his sister—she had no idea they would have been hurting so much from being apart. If she had known, perhaps she might have done some things differently.

Still, Sora had already forgotten that Kairi existed. Her fears had come true. She was afraid of Sora casting her off upon his reunion with Xion. It was selfish, but she didn't want him to leave her. Through their arguments, the stress, the headaches, it had started to become oddly routine. Like he said, Sora was a part of her life now, and she didn't want to have to adapt to another stint of change after just getting used to him being around.

She let out a wearisome sigh and forced a slight smile. At least they were together now. After all Sora had done for Kairi, he deserved this.

Xion sniffed as she parted from Sora, looking at him with a wondrous gaze. "So, where have been all this time?" She punched him in the arm. "And why the hell didn't you let me know you were okay?!"

"Relax, I'm fine. I kinda got caught up in something, but hey, I'm here now. I'm not gonna leave you ever again, I promise."

She cupped her ears. "I don't wanna hear it! La la la la la la la! You said that last time, remember? And what happened?"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault!"

"Oh yeah? How so?"

She deserved to know the truth. "Remember that Keyblade in the stone everybody was worked up over?"

Her jaw dropped. "Shut. Up." His smirk shattered her skepticism. "Get outta town. You serious?"

Sora stood up and sharply swung his right arm. The Keyblade appeared in his grasp. A wide-eyed Xion shot up immediately. "No way! How did a loser like you get _this_?"

"Hey, have some faith in your big brother. I'm not entirely hopeless."

"You sure about that? How is it that you're destined for greatness or whatever? If I remember correctly, you're just a careless jerk always getting into trouble."

"The Keyblade says otherwise."

She stroked her chin. "Hm, you sure it didn't make a mistake?"

"Screw you."

"Just kidding. Hey, lemme see! I wanna touch it! I wanna touch it!"

"No, thanks. I don't need you dirtying her up."

She reached out for his blade, but Sora was able pull it back just in time with a snide look.

"Sora! No fair!"

Sora laughed. How long had it been since he last saw her? A few weeks, right? Things seemed to already be back to normal between them. It was almost as if nothing changed. The intervened bridge of their time together was hazy like a steamy fog. As long as they had each other again, the past was obscured in irrelevance.

Xion paused at the sight of Kairi standing by the wall next to the window—her eyes attached elsewhere. "Who's that girl?"

The princess's masquerade was a vanguard for Radiant Garden's awareness. But like he said, Xion deserved to know the truth. Annie Panella? No. "Xion, meet Kairi Estheim."

Xion hit Sora on the forehead. "Quit joking around! Everybody knows the princess has red hair! You're such a goofball."

"Ahem," Kairi coughed. She discarded her wig and pulled on her bald cap. Her beautiful red hair spilled out benevolently. "Sora isn't lying. My name is Kairi, although I'm sure you already knew that."

Sora could have sworn her jaw was going to fall off its hinges if it kept dropping like that. "The princess? Tell me I'm not hallucinating!"

Sora hit Xion on the forehead. "No way, goofball."

Xion staggered up to Kairi and gulped. "Uh, h-hi—I-I'm Xion Yukana. It's an honor to meet you."

Kairi hoisted her snout disgustingly. "Well, judging by your meager appearance, I can't exactly say the same. However, Sora has spoken highly of you. You're all he ever talked about, so I suppose it is nice to finally meet you."

"Yeah, yeah! Sure!" Xion extended her hand. "I hope we'll get along!"

Kairi looked at her hand with hatred.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry!" Xion bowed before the princess. "My humblest apologies."

"That's more like it."

Sora marched up to Kairi and shoved his sister back protectively. "Hey, you can't treat my sister like that!"

"And why not? She's a peasant, right?"

"That's not fair, Kairi. She's my sister, don't you think she'd be an exception—you know—like I am."

"Nobody ever said you were an exception. You just simply refuse to fall in line; so naturally, I've given up on the day you finally listen to me."

"Yeah, not gonna happen. Maybe I would if you didn't act like—you know—_this_."

Xion tugged at Sora's arm. "What the hell are you doing? Show some respect."

Sora snatched his arm away. "We don't bow down to anybody, Xion. Not even to Princess Kairi herself."

Kairi scoffed as she walked over to an area of the room away from the siblings. Xion put her hands on her hips. "Sora."

"She'll be fine. She's just having another one of what I like to call, her bitchy fits. Just give her some space." He sighed. "Anyway, are you alright? Is everything okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine! You're here now, right? Things couldn't be better."

"As long as you're alright." Sora sat on the floor. Xion did the same. "So tell me, what's happened to you?"

Xion told Sora the whole story about Isa and how she had a hunch that it was his father who made the plans to kill him. She started to tear up a little just thinking about Isa. With a warm hug, he calmed her down.

"I promise, Xion, if I find this killer, I won't hesitate to bring 'im to justice."

"Thanks. It means a lot. He was the first boy I ever gotten the chance to really get to know. And now that he's gone…"

"I understand."

She licked her lips. "And man oh man, he knew how to fu—" Xion stopped herself upon almost spilling the beans to Sora of her extorted virginity. She smiled sheepishly. "Never mind."

Sora uplifted an eyebrow. "No, finish your sentence."

"It wasn't anything important."

"Xion, you didn't… _do_ anything with this Isa guy, did you?"

She gulped. "Of course not, Sora! You know I would never!"

Sora remained unconvinced, but he nodded. "Okay, I'll trust you. But you know you're not allowed to have sex until you're thirty-five, right?"

"Hey, didn't you already lose your virginity?"

Sora shrugged. "Hey, I'm a guy. I don't count. I just don't want you end up like that bimbo I got something out of last year."

"Sexist pig, you're contradicting yourself."

"Hey, I don't do that kind of stuff anymore! All I'm concerned about now is you, Xion. And only you. Now that I have you back, nothing and no one else matters more than you."

Kairi, who could hear their conversation in the corner, gasped to those last few words. Did that mean she didn't matter to him anymore? She figured as much. This was why she was never thrilled to find Sora's sister in the first place. Kairi knew she would be wholly disregarded. She had to face the facts, Xion was number one—and Kairi would forever be number two.

"I know!" She pinched his cheek. "Look at you, with the Keyblade, gettin' all handsomer and stuff. I'm swo pwoud of you!"

He smacked her hand away. "Knock it off!"

"I'm just lucky to have the best brother in the world."

"Only because you come first before anyone else, Xi. I'm proud of you." Kairi pushed up from her spot with brazen knuckles and strode towards the window. "Where are you going?" Sora asked.

"Anywhere that's not here."

"Now what's your problem?"

Kairi rolled her eyes as she hopped out of the window and climbed down the ladder. Sora sighed.

"Why is she such a handful? I guess I gotta go after her."

"Okay, I'll go with you!"

"No way, I just got you back. Not even taking a chance on you getting hurt. Besides, you still don't look well enough to go out yet."

"Are you serious? I hate being cooped up in here! Please let me go! I survived the past two weeks without you!"

"Tch, yeah, survived. But you didn't exactly exceed my expectations. Just look at you. Not to mention you almost killed yourself."

She lowered her head shamefully. He patted her on the head.

"Don't worry, it's alright. It must have been really hard on you. I'll be right back, I promise!"

"Okay, you better hurry back, though." She shuddered. Similar words were spoken to Isa and look what happened. "Be careful."

* * *

She stared at the night sky, her face molding into despair. The stars sparkled in her vision. How ideal this setting was. She burrowed a hand through her wiry auburn hair and felt the breeze embrace her.

"Wait up!" she heard a voice call.

Sora ran up to her with a heavy breath wheezing away from him, his hands resting on his knees.

"You're a fast walker," he huffed.

"Why are you here?"

He stood up and flashed crescent lips. "Aren't we forgetting something, Princess?" He upheld the bald cap and a wig. "It's a good thing there's not too many people around this early."

"Oh, shoot!" Kairi snatched her hair. She placed the bald cap and wig on her head as quickly as she could. She shook her head, allowing the false raven locks to spur across her face. She frowned at the peasant. "Shouldn't you be hanging out with your beloved sister?"

"And let you just walk out on me like that? You're not getting away that easily. What's your problem, anyway? It's like one minute, I think there's hope that you to actually act like a human being, the next minute you give me the exact same scowl you're giving me now. It's up and down with you, and I don't know what the heck I'm supposed to do at this point."

"Why do you care? You've got your sister back since she's the most important person to you. Shouldn't my significance be undermined by the cuffs of family bindings?"

"What are you talking about?"

She scoffed at his denseness. "Forget it. Forget I said anything." She walked down the empty road aimlessly.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, let's go back!"

"And be the third wheel in your incest? No thank you."

He looked at Kairi, then looked back at the library, then he looked at Kairi, then he looked back at the library again. As much as he wanted to stay with Xion, he had to keep the princess in a content mood as well, simply because he didn't want Xion to stay there and Kairi was there ticket back to the palace, and he simply didn't want to get on Kairi's bad side again. Sora rolled his eyes as he caught up to her, walking by her side. "Well, I guess I'll tag along. Can't have you out here all by yourself. I'm your chosen bodyguard for a reason, right?"

"Oh, really? Hmph. I thought your use for me expired. You have your sister, so why still be around me?"

"Kairi—"

She stopped walking. "That's your Majesty, to you."

He groaned. "Fine, whatever." As long as it got it her to stop bitching. "But didn't we go over this already? We're a part of each other's lives now. If you really think I'd just forget all about you just because I found my sister, then I think I've lost all faith in you." He smirked with a shrug. "I mean, there's no need to be jealous."

"Jealous?!" She scoffed. "I am _so _not jealous!" She strutted off with her nose hauled up. Sora followed behind.

"Okay, we'll run with that fat lie for now until you can admit it."

"Whatever, creep. I'm not jealous."

He chuckled, making her give him an irritated look through her peripheral vision.

"Fine," he relented, "but let me make it up to you. How about I give you a proper tour of Radiant Garden? I never really got to show you the best spots in town yet."

She stopped, her glare softening. "You'd do that?"

"Why not? You didn't have to help me find Xion, so consider it my early Christmas present for sticking with me this long."

"Okay!" she beamed. She quickly maintained her composure and cocked her hip to the side with a hand placed on it, trying to look offhand. "I mean, whatever."

Kairi always wanted to see Radiant Garden with an elaborated perspective. She only saw it through a makeshift telescope as a little girl, and on the rooftops. But never had she gotten a tour of the actual town. And with it still being so early with very few people outside, it was the perfect time.

"What about Xion?"

"She's not going anywhere, not after we just found each other again. And as much as I'd like to hang out with her, I don't want you feeling left out either."

"What's our first landmark then, captain?"

"We're standing in it."

She looked around to see buildings and houses surrounding a water fountain. Sora ran towards the fountain.

"H-Hey, wait up!" she stuttered as she tottered to keep up with him.

With a smirk, Sora hopped onto the fountain ledge. "This is the Town Square," he stated. "Nice spot, huh?"

Kairi sat down on the ledge next to Sora's feet. Her eyes trained on the glittering surface as she stroked it with her hand. "It's peaceful…"

Sora rested his hands on his hips as he scouted the area. "Radiant Garden—throughout the madness, this is the heart of the town. I think it lives up to its name. I used to come here in the middle of the night whenever I wanted to be alone."

Her eyelids descended slightly. "Does that mean you feel like being alone now?"

He sat down beside her. "Well, as long as you don't do anything stupid, I should be fine."

"You're the one always doing something stupid."

He sighed with a faint chuckled. "You're probably right."

She didn't mean to hurt his feelings. She thought it was another one of her harmless quips, but he took it to the heart. She tried to lighten the mood and switch topics. "So, this is Town's Square, huh? You come here often?"

"I used to."

"What made you stop?"

"I was taken to your castle by force, remember?"

She smiled sheepishly. "In my defense, my parents insisted. If it had been my way at the time, I'd never have partaken in such a nauseating ritual."

"Well, I guess it was meant to be. Maybe fate put us together. Destiny has a twisted sense of humor."

She scoffed sarcastically. "I don't believe in fate. I believe in statistical probability, cause, and effect."

He looked at her empathetically. "Why's that?"

"Fate, it's a fairytale word. Things don't always happen simply because of a predetermined force of expectancy. I think that it is the consequence of our actions that determines our future. My grandfather always blathers about destiny. I guess I've grown to think of it as nothing more but hogwash."

Her certainty sounded justified, bound by her past and mistakes. There had to be something more to it than that, and she wasn't telling him. He decided not to prod too much since it was her business.

"I guess you don't believe in God, then?"

She frowned. "God. How impractical. An all-knowing being that knows of all circumstances, certainly it's far-fetched."

"Only far-fetched as you make it seem."

She stopped stroking the water and wobbled some of it off her hand. "What about you? Do you believe in Him?"

He chortled, looking up at the sky. "I believe in Him, alright."

"But why? It doesn't make any sense. If there really is a God, he's brought unhappiness to more lives than one. I've been through hell and back. Why would He do something like that? I can only conclude that there isn't one in the first place."

"Kairi," he said, stopping her rant. "I used to think just like you. I've been homeless ever since I was thirteen years old with no parents. I shouldn't be here right now. I should be dead by now. I've gotten my ass out of so many close calls, it's a miracle I'm still alive. So, quite frankly, I've been lucky a few too many times for me to call it a coincidence."

"But why homeless?"

He shrugged. "Is it really up to us as people to determine why something is or why it isn't. Maybe we should just let fate do its work. I don't think everyone rightfully deserves a happy life, like we tend to rationalize. Even cancer. Maybe _we _don't think its cool, but that's probably the point. Maybe the point is to use these people to show the rest of us cancer-free people that we need to put a stop to this."

"Wow, for a second there—you actually sounded smart. Hm, I still say it's sketchy. Your whole justification is still relying on what may, in fact, be coincidental."

"Step in my shoes for a day, and you'll probably be singing a different tune."

"Does this mean that you're a loyal believer?"

"Hmph. Can't say I am." He looked up at the sky. "I have mixed feelings about God. We have a rocky relationship. I just don't know whatever I did to deserve, well, _this. _Being homeless and losing my parents before puberty. Honestly… but I think maybe I wouldn't be the person I am now if I didn't go through the things I've gone through. Can't be mad at 'Im for that, then."

"You lost both of your parents?" she asked in bewilderment.

"You didn't know?"

"I vaguely remember you mentioning it when you first entering the castle, but you never told me."

"You never asked."

"Because I shouldn't have to."

"Sorry for not wanting to reminisce one of my most precious memories."

She lightly scratched her cheek. "Damn it, Sora, when you put it like that… I just want to know, that's all."

He raised a brow and grinned mischievously. "Why do you care all of a sudden?"

"Come on, I'm not a monster—"

"Anymore. Still rough around the edges."

"Well, I need to make sure my bodyguard is okay. It's my job, as your master."

"Master? Let's get our facts straight, okay? And I'm not buying it. Admit it, you _care._"

"I do not!" she pouted.

He laughed. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. It shows that you really _do _have compassion for others. What a discovery!"

She frowned. "So, you're just gonna leave me in the dark about it?"

He wagged his finger playfully as he hopped off the fountain ledge and walked towards one of the town sections, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Kairi bulged her bottom lip.

"Sora!" She leaped off the fountain and ran to catch up with him. "So, you're just not gonna tell me?"

"It's not like it's any of your business."

He was right.

"No, just kidding. I think you should know. Maybe then, you'll understand how lucky you really are and why you shouldn't take what you have for granted."

She grimaced. "Now, wait a second, when did this turn into—"

"Long story short," Sora interrupted, "my parents lost their jobs because of financial reasons. Xion and I had to get out of school early because the expenses were too much. So, one night, Mom and Dad went out to steal some food. I mean, honestly, what other choice did we have? You know, back then, Xion and I would argue all the time."

"With the way you two mush over each other now, I wouldn't have guessed."

Did he distinguish jealousy in her tone? Despite that, he continued. "Once our parents were gone, we had to learn how to get along—or else we wouldn't have been able to survive." He sighed. "Despite that, I could say that we were a pretty happy family. As long as we had each other, all the bigger problems seemed irrelevant. That all changed when the fire nation attacked…"

"Sora, I'm serious."

It was a little while before he spoke again. "It was a quiet day, you know?" he continued, his voice cracking a little. "Just another day. They say to expect the unexpected, and I never understood until I lost my parents. It came completely out of nowhere."

She twiddled her thumbs. "So, what happened?"

"The Heartless happened. They took Mom and Dad away from me. And you know what? It's all my fault."

"What do you mean?"

"It's all my fault," he repeated. "_I'm _the one who went crying to Dad telling him how hungry I was. He wouldn't have left if I had just shut my mouth."

Kairi wasn't used to giving her condolences, but she could hear the penitence sprinkled on his pitch. She wished she hadn't asked. "I'm sorry, Sora. I never knew…" It was the first time she genuinely apologized to someone in a while.

"And then my mom told me to look after Xion. She knew—she_ knew_ they weren't going to come back. She had to… and look at how I let her down."

"Hey," Kairi interrupted, placing a hand on his shoulder and stopping their walk. "Quit getting all emotional on me. It's freaking me out."

"Sorry…"

"It's cool." She sighed. "Look, if you ask me, I don't think you let your mother down."

"I was gone for two weeks. I'm pretty sure that—"

"You didn't even have any control over that, idiot." He was too hard on himself. His denial proved to be annoying. "Did you see the look on that girl's face when we got in there? I hate to admit it, but that smile she gave you after she finally got done crying was one of the most radiant smiles I've ever seen—besides my own, of course." He rolled his eyes. "It was like you made her day." She was certain that he did. "If you can do that, then you gotta be doing something right."

Sora felt lost, cut by the notch in his reliability. No matter what angle you film it, he still failed to keep his promise. Xion was safe, yes, but at what cost? A near suicide attempt was probably not what his mother had in mind with 'looking after her'. Maybe it was her fault for putting so much responsibility on him. "I still let her down… but I guess you're right."

"You know I'm right."

"Don't get ahead of yourself."

She smirked. "So are you gonna mope around here all night, or are you gonna show a girl a good time?"

He chuckled. "Not interested. You're not exactly what I would call a hot date."

"Face it, I'm the best you've ever gotten, and ever will get. Don't wanna push me away, now do you?"

She was trying to cheer him up.

"Alright then, you're on. I'll show you the best spot in the town. Guaranteed."

* * *

"_This _is the best spot in town?"

They stood inside a concrete area enclosed for passage.

"What in the world is this place?" she asked as she grabbed her nose. "It stinks! Smells like month old fish in here!"

"Close your legs, then." Once he saw the Kairi's jaw drop, his cheeks bloated. Sora combusted into hilarity at his own immature joke.

Kairi was about to point an excusing finger at him. "Hey, t-that is not—" but Kairi couldn't help but break face as well as she ended up laughing along with Sora hysterically. She tried to stop herself. "Wait, no—t-t-that is naaah—ha ha ha ha!"

Sora pointed at her as he jumped up and down. "I got you! I finally made you laugh! You actually have a sense of humor!? Man, we're discovering a lot about you today, huh?"

She lightly hit him on the shoulder. "Shut up, asshole."

After their laughter finally died down, Sora spread his arms to present her to the area. "This is the bailey. The garbage warehouse is somewhere nearby, so the stench kinda leaks around here."

She wiped a tear away. She couldn't tell if it was from the poisoning smell or if it was because she just had the best laugh in ages. "I think I'm gonna be sick…"

"Ha, this isn't even the worst. I've smelt much, much worse, believe me."

"I almost feel sorry for you—having to live in such a filthy environment." She made sure not to step anywhere near the leftover food lying around. "Peasants are so gross."

"Were you expecting more? Princess, you gotta understand that not everybody is a spoiled rotten brat like you. We less fortunate motherfuckers don't have the advantages to bother cleaning this place."

A rotten apple encircled by lurking fleas sat in one of the corners. "Disgusting! This is a shame. Why hasn't anybody done anything about this?"

"I used to blame your parents for that, but I guess it isn't big enough of an issue."

"It is too an issue!" she retorted defensively. "I've never been surrounded by so much filth in my entire life—and nobody else should either."

He crossed his arms. "It's awesome that you seem so passionate about this, but we're in the slumps. It's almost a tradition that these types of areas be grimy."

"That's a tradition I'm going to break once I become queen. I can't have my kingdom enveloped in filth—I don't care if it's the ghetto or not."

"Never would have expected you to be a pro-environmentalist. I would have expected you to be all like, 'I don't care for these wretched peasants'," he mocked in a high-pitched voice.

She frowned. "I don't talk like that." She looked through the hole in the wall and saw her home, the castle out in the distance.

He caught her ogling. "You miss home, huh?"

"A little, I suppose. But I much rather be out here right now."

He walked down the stairs. "Good, because this isn't even the place I wanted to show you."

"Thank God." She followed him behind.

Sora stopped in front of the door at the bottom of the steps. He twisted the large handle and pushed. He led them inside as Kairi's eyes were locked in astonishment.

A assemble of ledges perched in columns had waterfalls seeping from the bottom. The big wall above it was clutched with vines.

"Wow!" Kairi exhaled.

"I figured you might like this place. This is the Fountain Court. This is where Xion and I usually bathe when everybody's asleep."

"It's gorgeous…" And it fell in line with more of what she expected from Radiant Garden, unlike the bailey.

They walked up the steps that led to the second platform. "This is probably my favorite spot in the town."

"I can see why. I've never seen this place before."

"You were probably too busy kissing your own ass to pay any attention."

"Okay, I think you're the one turning into the jerk now."

"You're probably right." Sora sat at the end of the ledge and dangled his feet shamelessly. Kairi didn't hesitate to sit next to him. They sat in a comfortable peace. "It'll be morning soon, so we only have about an hour left to look at the stars. I thought it'd be a nice leisure spot for us."

"Yeah, it's beautiful out here. I guess the peasants have kept this place nice and tidy."

"How could we not? Look at this place." The water sparkled in the radiance of the sky, twinkling softly. "It's the last of what was destroyed after the last war."

"What do you mean?"

Sora picked up a nearby twig and threw it out in the open aimlessly. "Dad told me about how beautiful and peaceful this place was before you and I were born. You think this town got named 'Radiant Garden' when fifty percent of it looks like shit? Apparently, this place was gorgeous. The slumps didn't exist. People didn't have to live in fear of bandits and thieves, and people weren't dickish thugs."

"Sounds like they didn't have to be scared of people like, well—you." She grinned.

"Yeah, yeah…" Sora sighed. "But I wasn't doing it for me. I was doing it for Xion."

"For Xion?"

"I would have said screw it by now and probably killed myself if it weren't for her. But as long as she's here, I feel like it's my responsibility to keep her well fed. You know, uh, provided for. I feel like she gives me purpose."

"So, that's why you were a thief?" He nodded dumbly. "I always figured you were just a good-for-nothing little rascal who caused trouble just for the sake of causing trouble. I never thought that a thief would have such a—such a humble origin."

"Don't judge a book by its cover."

"All this time, you just wanted to see Xion because she was important to you, and you stole because it was what you had to do to take care of her."

Sora hadn't opened up like this to anyone besides Xion, and even that wasn't very often, and when it did, it was far too brief. It was weird—opening up to other people. He had been detached from others for so long.

Kairi laughed maniacally, which made Sora jump a little. "I'm such an idiot. And here I was, trying to do whatever I could to _keep _you away from your sister. I thought I'd lose you."

What did she mean by that?

"That's why I didn't want to hand you back over to Xion, Sora. I didn't want to risk fracturing what little of a relationship we already have."

"And… what kind of relationship is this, anyway?" he asked. "We don't hate each other, and we sure as hell don't love each other… but now that you mention it, it'd be hard to imagine life without you at this point."

"That's how I feel." Her eyes widened. "But don't get the wrong idea! I don't like you or anything."

"The feeling's mutual."

"It's just that I forgot what it was like to have someone else in my life. It's refreshing. After some things happened to me, I kinda froze everyone else out as much as I could."

He chuckled, which caught her by surprise.

"What's so funny?"

He only laughed again.

"Are you laughing at me? How dare you! I'm trying to open up and here you are ridiculing me!" She crossed her arms. "Stupid frog!"

"It's not that," he waved off. "It's just that I never thought I'd say this, but we have a lot in common. We're going through the exact same thing."

"Huh?"

"I'm not so good at opening up to people either. I close people out a lot too, even Xion. I was always so busy making sure she was okay, I never spent time with her or gave her that much of my attention whenever she wanted to play a game or something. And I had a hard time trusting anyone besides her too."

"Oh, don't get me started on trust issues…"

"Yeah, trusting others sucks. Funny, I feel like trusting you, though."

"Even though you're still a no good peasant, I suppose you've grown on me."

He smirked. "How so?"

More than she'd like to admit. "Hey, look." Kairi pointed to the sky. "I think I see a picture in the stars. It resembles your personality perfectly."

"Really?" he beamed. "What is it?"

She took his finger and guided it towards the stars jumbled into a big blob. "It's a pile of shit." She laughed hysterically.

Sora rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but chuckle. "Wow, isn't that a little harsh considering all of this bonding I thought we were sharing? And why are you so weird tonight?"

She shrugged. "I was attempting to lighten the mood. Am I doing it wrong?"

"No comment on that. At least it's good to know that you're an actually human being and not _just _some royal snob."

Kairi sighed affectionately. "When I was a little girl, I used to always look at the stars with my mother. We'd go out into the backyard, lie on the grass, and try to make pictures out of them." She giggled. "Those were the good days. Then, as I became to grow more aloof, I'd stargaze out of my bedroom window—alone. But I forgot what it was like—spending time with other people."

"Me too." Sora stood up and stretched. "We might want to start heading back to Xion. I didn't really mean for us to be out this long, but we really should get back. I gotta make sure she's okay."

As much as Kairi didn't want them to head back yet, she knew Sora had to still be a little excited to see Xion again. "Do we _have _to?"

"Hell's yeah, I'm not about to leave her high and dry like that. Honestly, I don't know why I left in the first place. Oh, that's right, it's because you were being difficult. As usual."

"Oh, shut up and help a girl to her feet, would you?"

Sora scoffed as he took her hand and helped stand her up. He held his back as he groaned in pain.

"W-What's wrong?" she asked.

"I think I broke my back! We need to get you on a treadmill sometime!"

She raised a brow. "Are you making fun of me?"

He stood up straight and laughed.

"Just for that, I won't feed you for three days when we return to the castle. And if you get on my nerves even more, I'll have you clean the main foyer."

"Bluffing," he said as he walked down the stairs with his hands folded behind his head. She smiled, knowing he was right, and followed behind. "And even if you _were _serious, I wouldn't listen to you anyway."

She chuckled. She hadn't laughed this much in one night in ages.

"I know."

* * *

They entered the Town Square. Kairi felt something bump into her leg. She looked down to see a midget rubbing its head on the ground. "Watch it, you—"

Wait, it was no midget. It was a little girl.

Undoubtedly female, with her brunette hair tied into a ponytail and her smooth skin, had radiance on par with the princess. She opened her blue eyes softly and gawked at Kairi. "Oopsies! Sorry, lady!"

Kairi paused. The girl wore a winter coat, black sweats, and boots with her hands harboring mittens. She bent down. "Aw, it's no problem. Why are you out here so late? It's almost daybreak."

Kairi helped the kid up to her feet. "I was looking for my big sister!" she cried. "She's been gone all day! Mommy kept saying to not worry about it, but I can't just sit back and wait anymore! I don't know where she is! And it's pretty boring…"

Sora and Kairi shared a look. How in the world would they be able to find a random stranger at this hour when the streets were negated? "Could you describe what your sister looks like, sweetie?" Kairi asked in a motherly tone.

"Um, she has long black hair, and even though she's _old, _she's super pretty!"

Sora raised a brow. "Old?"

"Yeah, but not _super _old like my mommy! She's about as old as you guys!"

Sora and Kairi shared a laugh. They knew they were far from old. But old to this kid must have been different from what they thought was old.

"We'll help you find your sister. Right, Sora?"

He wished they could have just gone straight home, but of course, something had to detour them. He didn't mind this time, though. He had confidence that Xion was safe, and that smile on Kairi's face, a smile he had never seen from her before, compelled him to want to stay with her for some reason. "Sure, Kairi."

"Sora? Kairi?" the kid thought out loud. "My name's Haru!"

"Nice to meet you, Haru. The pleasure is mine."

"Kairi… isn't that the princess's name?" She gasped in excitement. "Oh em gee, are you the princess?!"

Sora and Kairi's eyes widened. This kid was probably a blabbermouth. She might get the word to her parents, and before long, the rest of the town.

"No!" Sora objected. "No, her name's Annie Panella and she's—"

Haru put a finger to her lip and winked. "Shh! Your secret's safe with me!"

Kairi couldn't help but giggle. She took Haru by the hand as they pressed on. "Let's go find your sister."

Sora allowed them to walk a few feet ahead as he studied Kairi from afar. She and Haru constantly snickered. It was the happiest he had ever seen Kairi. He didn't even know she had the potential to be that happy. He was used to her scowl.

"Your turn!" Haru exclaimed.

"Okay," Kairi said as she puckered her lips together and looked around the area. "The color this time is pink!"

"Aw, pink," Haru whined. "But there's _nothing _pink around here!"

"I know. That's what makes it fun." Kairi beamed.

Haru looked around the area intently, as if she were searching for some grand omen, but found nothing pink. "I give up!"

Kairi pointed to one of the game booths slightly shaded in pink. She giggled at Haru's dropped jaw. "What the heck! No fair, Princess! I don't wanna play this game anymore!"

"Okay, what do you want to play then?"

Haru let go of Kairi's hand and tapped her on the thigh. "Tag! You're it!" Haru scampered off.

"Get back here, you little rascal! Sora, help me out here?"

Sora smiled. With all of her constant irritations and nagging, he never would have colored Kairi as the type to be good with kids. He shook his head and waved her off. "No, I'm good. You go on ahead and have fun. I'll catch up."

She nodded and chased after the little five-year-old. "I'm gonna get you!"

Sora noticed there wasn't much food lying around as usual. It seemed like the townsfolk were beginning to wise up and not leave their goods unsupervised. Hopefully, he'd be able to get Kairi to bring Xion back to the castle with them. He could feed Xion there. Besides, the princess was in a pretty good mood. He just wanted to make sure she stayed that way. She sure as hell was more tolerable like this than anything.

Sora caught up to a breathless Kairi with Haru bouncing up and down. "Come on, Princess! You can't be tired already!"

"Sorry sweetie, I'm not exactly the athletic type."

Sora snickered. "It doesn't take being _athletic _to play a game of tag with a five-year-old. You seriously need to start working out some more."

"Oh, and I suppose you'll help me?" She rolled her eyes as he helped her up.

"Hey, I'm not a genie. I can't create miracles."

"Ha ha," she deadpanned.

"Hey!" Haru pointed at Sora. "Don't talk badly about the princess, old man!"

"OLD?" he replied. "I'm sixteen, you little fur ball!"

"Shut up, poopy pants! You're just an ugly, boring old man! At least _she's _nice, pretty, and played with me!"

"Hey, you guys!" yelled a familiar voice. Sora and Kairi looked over to see familiar black hair waving in the wind.

Haru glowed with excitement. "Big sissy!" She jumped into her big sister's arms.

"Haru, what in the world are you doing out here? It's almost seven!" Amaya crossed her arms sternly.

"Uh oh…" Haru knew she was in trouble. She had to think of something quick. She pointed to Sora. "He kidnaped me!"

Sora's face was etched with bafflement. Amaya only smiled knowingly. "Oh, he did, did he?"

"Yeah, yeah! Uh huh!"

"What about that girl?"

"Oh, she's my friend! She's nice and sweet!" Amaya raised her eyebrows. She didn't recall Annie being exactly 'nice and sweet'. "And that bully kidnaped us while we were playing!"

"Now, wait a second—" Sora started.

"Amaya, kick his butt!" She stopped and giggled. "Heh heh, _butt…_"

Kairi stifled her laughter. For once, it was Sora being antagonized.

"It's not funny! Who the hell is this snot-nosed brat, Amaya?"

Haru paused. "Wait, you uh—know them?"

She smirked at Haru as she leveled with her. "Yep. They happen to be friends of mine. Funny how karma can be a real butt muncher, huh?"

Haru broke into laughter. "Ha ha, butt muncher!" She paused again. "Wait, does that mean I'm in trouble?" she asked as innocently as she could.

"Oh yeah," Amaya answered.

"Aw, but I was only out because I was looking for you!"

"I appreciate it, baby, but you can't be out here all alone like this. Did Mom let you go?"

Haru placed her arms behind her back. "Well, no… I kinda snuck out."

Amaya sighed. "That's what I thought."

"I'm sorry, sissy."

Amaya ruffled her hair and smiled warmly. "Don't worry, love. I'm not mad. Just don't wander off like that, you had me worried."

"Wait, you knew?"

"Yeah. After I woke up," she glanced at Sora and Kairi, "_alone, _I might add," they averted their gazes elsewhere, "I decided to head on home. Everybody was up, and they were all concerned about the both of us. Dad asked me and your brother to go look for you, but we split up."

"Was Mommy crying?"

"Well, she'll cry tears of joy if we get you back home safe and sound."

Haru brightened. "Okay!"

Amaya stood up and gave Sora and Kairi a blank stare. The pair sweated nervously. They couldn't read her face. Was she mad, sad, happy, content? All they could see were those two big, green eyes staring at them.

"Hey, Amaya—uh, how's it going? You look well," Sora tried to cover. Amaya opened her mouth, but Sora was quick to interrupt. "It was her idea! I swear I had nothing to do with it!"

Kairi showed no signs of protest. She crossed her arms and shrugged. "Yeah, so? The hell are you gonna do about it?"

Amaya chuckled. "Relax, guys, it's okay. I figured you two would want to be alone—as usual."

Heat rose to their faces.

"Whatever," Sora coughed.

"So, what happened to you two?" Amaya asked.

"What's there to explain? We ditched you. When I woke up, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to find Xion since nobody was really out yet. And three's a crowd."

She couldn't argue with that. "Yeah, sorry, I'd hate to be the third wheel."

"Cut it out!" Kairi exclaimed.

Sora noticed the brat sticking her tongue out at him behind Amaya's leg. He returned the gesture just as immature as the little one. Amaya giggled as she brought Sora to the side.

"As you can see, she's not exactly too friendly to boys right now. But it fits with her age, I guess," Amaya explained.

"I see."

"Was she well-behaved?"

"Yeah, she was fine. She's just a little rascal that's all."

"She's a handful, alright." They watched as Haru ran away from Kairi after tagging her again, and Kairi caught up to her and picked her up with a big smile. "She reminds me of the princess. They have a lot in common, wouldn't you agree?"

"They sure do. Just look at em." His eyes widened. "Wait a second, did you just—"

She smiled triumphantly. "Aha! I knew it!"

Sora smacked his forehead with his palm. "How long did you know?"

"About two seconds since you just spilled the beans. But I've had my suspicions from the start. She seemed way too egotistical to be your average commoner, and that drink she ordered at the bar—no one in their right mind could afford that unless you're totally stacked with cash. Plus, I heard all about the rumors of the chosen one for the Keyblade and the princess they were supposed to protect. Didn't take long for me to put two and two together. I hope you didn't think I was stupid?"

"No, not at all. Just tryin' to make sure her image didn't get out in the open. The little one figured it out pretty quickly, too. You must come from a pretty smart household."

"Yeah, guess so. I'm headed there right now, any way to bring her back. Tagging along?"

He shrugged. "Why not?"

Haru and Kairi held hands in the front as Sora and Amaya followed behind.

"So, you're the princess's guardian, huh?"

He sighed. "Unfortunately."

She giggled. "Good luck."

Sora replaced his frown with a smile. "But… You know… I think everything's gonna be okay."

* * *

**I hope that wasn't a boring chapter for you guys! I know, it was pretty dialogue heavy more so than anything happening (which is odd because I just talked to a friend about this), and I promise we'll get more of Sora and Xion in due time, but I just really wanted to use this point to develop Sokai a little bit more, especially with what I have planned soon!**

**The ending was slightly rushed, but I'm super tired right now, and I'm gonna edit it tomorrow. **

**By the way, Haru isn't my OC, she belongs to BlissfulNightRain! And blissy, I know that Haru is a little different here, but I just wanted to put a different spin on her is all, but I hope that caught you off-guard! ;) **

**Recently, I realized that even though I always try to respond to my reviews, I always forget to respond to the guest reviews! Usually because most of them aren't exactly worth responding to, (no offense, I mean that in the most harmless way possible, it's just kinda redundant) but the most recent guest reviewer left me a nice review that reminded me to show them some love too! So...**

**Guest #1: I'm glad you appreciated the changes I made! I like the new Serah a lot more now. She's not nearly as annoying lol **

**Guest #2: Don't worry, I got plans for Riku ;D **

**ISayJello: Hello! And your number one story right now? That's awesome! So stoked to hear that you're liking it that much! **

**Lecxia: Hiya! You're the one who actually inspired me to respond to these reviews, because you're the first guest to give me some constructive criticism, which I always appreciate, so thank you very much! Yeah, I actually have quite the sailor mouth myself in real life, so that kinda subconsciously transcends into my writing sometimes, but it's mostly used for humorous effect. But it's nice to know that my affinity for cuss words can get a little out of hand sometimes, lol. Hope you enjoyed this chap! **

**I'll try to update soon. Please leave me a review! They're huge motivators to make me update faster! And a fav or follow would be very appreciated as well. Much love! And Happy New Year! **


	17. Amaya Irino

Sora leaned against the front of a local barbershop.

Restraint kept him from leaving to go get Xion. He promised Kairi he wouldn't ditch her a few minutes ago. He currently waited for Amaya to return from the women's restroom. From his point of view, Kairi was playing with Haru, with her hoisted onto her back, giving her an ideal piggyback ride. Their laughs meshed well with each other. Sora couldn't repress his own smile. He loved seeing Kairi look so happy. He was just glad that whatever was bothering her before seemed to be stifled by Haru.

"Auntie Kai, I need to go use the bathroom!"

"Okay." Kairi set her down. "I'll walk you inside."

Haru shook her head. "Nuh uh! Big sissy's inside and I know where the bathrooms are. I'll be right back!" She scampered inside the shop. Kairi had sighed affectionately before Sora's fake cough caught her notice.

She walked over to him and leaned against the wall next to him.

"In a million years," Sora started, "I never would have guessed that you, of all people, would be so good with children."

"I can't help it. I love children to death. Is there a problem with that?"

"Oh, yeah, because that was my first impression of you. I always think that stuck up princesses probably have a thing for children."

"Oh, shut up. How can I resist? She's adorable." Kairi grinned. "I've always loved children. It's that innocence of theirs that makes them so special. They remind me of a time before I was miserable. When I didn't have to worry about trusting others and everything else they don't tell you about growing up. Reminds me that there's hope for the rest of the world—and myself."

"What do you mean, you were miserable?"

"Let's not burrow too deep into that, shall we?"

Now what was she hiding? "And what's with you and trust? I don't trust people that much either, but I feel like you take it a little overboard sometimes."

"Why do you say that?"

"You wouldn't let me see Xion for weeks because you thought I was gonna ditch you."

"You can't say my reasoning wasn't justified."

"I guess, but I remember speaking to Naminé a while back. She told me that she was the reason why you are the way you are now, but she also said that you two were great friends at one point."

Kairi looked the other way.

"At first, I didn't care. You and I weren't on the best terms at the time, so I didn't bother to ask. But seeing you with Haru, she just brings the best out of you. But I don't think you should rely on others to do that for you. There comes a point where we have to do that kind of stuff on our own."

"What are you saying?"

"What happened between you and Naminé?" he asked. "I wanna know. Maybe if you said it, letting all the emotions out, you wouldn't feel as bad anymore."

She clenched her fists. "That's none of your business! How dare you ask me something so personal! You ought to be ashamed!"

He jumped back a little by her spontaneous impatience. He was seriously considering getting her tested for bipolar. "I'm just tryin' to help."

"I don't need your help. So back off, okay?"

"Oh, so I can tell you about my past but you can't tell me about yours?"

Her expression diminished into uncertainty. He was about to say something else until Amaya and Haru exited from the bar, catching their attention. Haru skipped over to Kairi and grasped her hand. Sora groaned when Kairi stuck her tongue out at him as Haru dragged her elsewhere. She slipped through his fingers and avoided the topic, but he'd surely bring it back up.

Amaya snapped her fingers in front of him, bring him back to the present. "It's just down the street."

"Oh, alright." He noticed the glum expression on her face. "What's the problem?"

"I was just scared because Haru's life could have been in danger. It's all my fault because I didn't come home in time."

"Enough," he said. "It's not your fault." Sora realized how guilty he and his two companions tended to be.

Amaya scoffed. "Uh yeah, it kinda is. I was gone all day."

"Only because you were doing something important. You were helping a handsome devil find his dear old sister, which he had been dreading to find for weeks until you came along—oh, and something about a princess or something."

She chortled. "Alright, but I'm still on the fence. I gotta be more responsible for these things. That kid could have found herself in some serious trouble if she didn't run into you guys."

"But she didn't—that's the important thing."

"I guess you're right."

* * *

Amaya knocked on the door. It opened in the matter of seconds by Xigbar. "Amaya?" Haru zipped in under her big brother's legs, not even acknowledging him.

"Hiya!" Amaya chirped.

"It's about time. It only took you _forever _to find Haru."

"Sounds to me like you were worried!"

He laughed. "Worried? As if." He raised a brow at Kairi, who was already sending him a scorching glare.

"Well, if it isn't the perverted pirate. I forgot that you two were related. How sad—for Amaya."

Xigbar shifted his sight over to Sora, who had his hands folded behind his head with his usual bored eyes. "Sup, one-eye."

"Amaya, why the hell are you hangin' with these losers? Did you forget that they tried to rob us earlier?"

"It's been a long day, Xiggy."

He scoffed as she shoved him to the side and gestured Sora and Kairi invitingly. Kairi strode in with her arms crossed and with her usual frown. Sora teased Xigbar by pointing both fingers at him, winking and clicking his tongue. Xigbar sighed as he closed the door.

"I'm back!" Haru announced as she stepped into the living room. "Big sissy's here, too!"

A little kid with spiky blond hair staggered into the room rubbing his eyes. He looked to be about the same age as Haru. "Haru…?"

She gave him a big hug before he could say anymore. "Venny! I'm so happy to see you!"

Ven only stared at her. "Yeah. Whatever."

Haru shrugged it off as an older couple walked inside. They were good-looking for middle-aged. "Mommy! Daddy!"

A woman with short blue hair and eyes to match crouched down to give her daughter a hug. "Thank God you're safe!"

Her husband followed the suit. He had long brunette hair that reached his mid-back. "Haru…"

"Yes, Daddy?" she looked at him with a gleam in her eyes.

"I know what you're trying to do. And you're still grounded for a week."

Haru broke free from her parents and kicked the sole of her boots against the floor. "Rats!"

Ventus looked up at Sora with his tired narrow eyes. Sora did the same.

"Hey," Ven said.

"Hey."

"You need a haircut."

Sora scowled. He hated little kids. "So do you."

"Yeah, but let's compare ourselves in the mirror side-by-side and then we'll see who has a right to talk."

Sora was half-joking when he said Amaya came from an intelligent household, but this was ridiculous. Little kids shouldn't talk like that.

Haru's mother stood up but averted her gaze at the sight of Amaya. "Oh. Hello."

"Mother."

"Looks like you found her. Good work."

Amaya rubbed her arm. "Uh, yeah."

Sora sensed the tension between them and he cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Oh," Amaya said, "Mom, Dad, this is Sora and Annie."

The radiant woman smiled at Sora as she extended her hand to him. "My name is Aqua Irino. This is my husband, Terra."

Sora shook her hand. "Hey, there." He returned the smile.

Aqua extended her hand to Kairi, but Kairi only raised her brow at the woman with an aversion. "Uh—no thanks." She noticed Sora giving her a look. She groaned and relented as she shook Aqua's hand as well.

Aqua didn't even notice Kairi's discourtesy. She was too busy examining her face intently. Kairi stepped back a little once she became aware of it.

"Is there a problem?"

"N-No, I'm sorry." It was just that she seemed familiar. "Please, would you like to stay for breakfast? You two look like you could use a hearty meal."

Sora felt his stomach growl right on cue. He chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "That would be awesome."

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Kairi waved off. "But could you hurry it up, though? I haven't eaten anything all day." She sat at the table and kicked up her legs while leaning back. Sora wasn't surprised. She was in the presence of many new faces—so she wouldn't be as courteous to them as she would be to him or Amaya.

"Get your dirty feet off my table." Xigbar towered before her. Kairi jolted from her chair and scowled.

"You gonna make me, Pirate?"

Amaya broke in between them. "Come on now, guys, where's the love?"

Xigbar laughed. "As if. I don't think this chick is capable of love."

Kairi flicked him on the forehead. "Why don't you hop off my dick?"

Xigbar growled. Sora gently grabbed Kairi by the shoulders and pulled her back. He pointed at her sternly. "Behave," he demanded quietly. She smacked his finger away.

"Xiggy, if you know what's best for you, you'd quit talking to her like that right about now," Amaya advised. "Annie definitely isn't someone you want to mess with, believe me." She couldn't forget that Kairi was the princess. She could torture her poor step-brother if she wanted to, and it'd be legal.

"Yeah, that's right!" Kairi said as she plunked back down in her chair, kicking her legs back onto the table triumphantly. "So watch that fat mouth of yours, 'Xiggy,' if you know what's best for you."

Xigbar sighed in defeat. "Why are girls so annoying and confusing, Amaya?"

"Just go in the kitchen." Amaya crossed her arms. Xigbar marched back into the room with Amaya following behind.

"Yeah, get in there and whip me up something nice and tasty, alright babe?" Kairi teased as she smacked Xigbar on the butt when he passed her. He grunted in response. Kairi smirked. "Jerk."

Sora ignored her and stepped into the kitchen, where he found Aqua working on something at the stove. "Xiggy, start getting out the seasonings."

"Hey, um, Mrs. Irino," Sora said. She turned around and offered a smile.

"Yes?"

"Do you think it would be okay if I got my sister to join us? She could seriously use something to eat."

"Oh, sure—that's fine. I'd be happy to serve her. The more, the merrier. Just hurry now, okay?"

He nodded. "Got it."

Amaya walked over to the cabinets, smiling at Sora as she noticed him. She pulled out some ingredients. Aqua turned around and glared at her for a moment. "Thanks for worrying me and your little sister like that, Amaya. You do realize it's your fault why she ran away? And why would you leave and not tell me?"

Amaya slumped her shoulders. "Mom, do we have to do this now? We have company, you know…"

Aqua returned her attention to the stove as she stirred the pot. "I'm just saying, what you did was so irresponsible, but I suppose that's nothing new in your regard, huh?"

Amaya sunk her head shamefully. "Y-Yeah. Sorry."

The air seemed to suffocate Sora whenever these two were in the same room. He decided it would be best if he left to go get Xion.

* * *

Xehanort took a swig of his potion as he felt his strength surge through his body. He rolled his shoulders as he looked out into the town. "Alright, let's move! I've already sent the Heartless; now all that's left to do is put in the work."

The Organization members all scurried out of the laboratory. Xemnas sighed and took a step, but a hand clutched his shoulder. He turned around to meet eyes with Ansem. He sported a malicious smirk.

"The choice is yours, Xemnas, either help spike your grandfather or fall into the ashes with him."

Xemnas words quivered. He couldn't come across a suitable answer. Ansem left the lab as Xemnas huffed and exited behind him. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

"Thank you so much for allowing me to eat here with you, ma'am."

They all sat at the table like a big, happy family.

"It's not a problem at all, Xion," Aqua answered. "I've never had so many guests at one table before. This is all very overwhelming—but in a good way."

Xion whispered into Amaya's ear. "Your mom is like, the nicest mom in the history of mom's."

Amaya scoffed and leaned her face against her palm. "I guess so."

Xion dug in and viciously stabbed her broiled fish with her teeth. The rest of the table stared at her wide-eyed as she scarfed down some bread, every chew she made with an obnoxious smack of her gums.

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, sorry. She hasn't eaten anything in a little bit."

"I-I can see…" Aqua trailed. Despite the discomfort, everyone else joined Xion in their feast, although not as untamed.

Xion stopped in the middle of her violent eating when she rotated an eye down across the table. She noticed the weird scruffy kid staring at her with a lovestruck gaze. "Um… hi?"

"What's up, baby?" Ventus winked at her.

Xion didn't know what to take of that. Kairi rolled her eyes. "I see he takes after his idiot brother."

Xigbar turned to her. "Idiot brother? Hah! As if! I'm as good as they get, babe! You can't find another all-around guy of manly manliness other than myself in these parts, hear?"

"I'm sure that's why you still haven't moved out of my god damn house, Mister twenty-one-year-old," Terra deadpanned.

"Hey man, I told you, when my wings come, I'll soar like a friggin' eagle!"

"Yeah Mom, I don't think Xiggy's fit to leave the house when he's still a virgin." Ven sneered.

"You little shit!"

"Both of you, watch your language!" Aqua said.

Ven shrugged. "I'm just saying, when I get older, I'm not leaving until I get somebody to have sex with me."

Haru tapped her finger to her chin. "I'll do it with you!"

"NO!" Aqua and Terra synchronized.

"Haru, Ven!" Aqua said. "You two are way too young to be throwing that word around so carelessly."

Haru recoiled. "But Venny said he can't leave if he doesn't have sex. By the way, what _is _sex, anyway?"

Ven shrugged. "I dunno, something about a banana and a slingshot, I think."

Aqua and Terra sighed with relief. At least they didn't know what it was. Sora and Kairi glanced at each other, equally perplexed. To say this household was an abnormality was an understatement.

Amaya sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is so humiliating. My family is so embarrassing."

"At least they're entertaining," Sora added. He was hit in on the cheek with a dead trout. "Ow! Hey!" He slammed his hands on the table and scanned the other side, looking at all the guiltless suspects. He noticed that little punk, Ventus, trying a bit too hard to provoke innocence as he whistled offhand. "What's your problem?"

Ven smirked. "Or is it that _you _have the problem, good sir?"

"Ventus, behave!" Aqua demanded. "I'm sorry, he's pretty much the lost cause of our house."

He stared at his mother. "Yo, I'm right here."

Xion laughed. "Ven is a rascal, huh?"

"He sure is." Aqua then whispered across the table when Ven wasn't paying attention. "We actually named him after an old friend of ours that died in the war. And his girlfriend died giving birth to him. But trust me, he's nothing like our friend."

"Yeah, all this little bastard does is cause us more problems," Terra said.

"I blame society," Ven said as he leaned back in his chair.

This Ventus was something else, but he reminded Sora of himself when he was around his age. Sora chuckled. "This guy…"

Xion rubbed her chin. "Well, if that's the case, what's with all of this impending sexual tension between Haru and her brother? Don't you guys think it's kinda—gross?"

Aqua and Terra laughed. "No, no, sweetie, the friend of ours that I mentioned earlier was actually his real father. He's adopted."

"Oh!" Xion pretended to wipe her brow. "Woo! Good, because I was getting a little creeped out."

Ven smiled at her. "Ain't nothing to be creeped out about, pretty thing." He made a kissy face.

Xion only laughed, but awkwardly paused when she found no one else laughing. Haru in particular scowled at her. Xion cleared her throat and took a drink.

Aqua stared at Kairi. "I can't get over how beautiful you are."

Kairi smirked. "Yeah, I know." She noticed Sora giving her 'the look' from across the table. She turned to Aqua with a blank stare. "I mean, um, yeah. Thank you…?" She dashed a glance at Sora and he gave her a quick thumb up.

"How old did you say you were again?"

"Sixteen."

Aqua rubbed her chin. "Sixteen, hm?"

"Wow, sixteen," Xigbar chuckled. "Maybe try swelling those boobs out a little more, and then I wouldn't mistake you for a thirteen-year-old next time."

"Xigbar!" Terra bawled.

Kairi slammed a fist on the table. "I'm sick and tired of you always commenting on my chest! There's nothing wrong with my boob size!"

"Bigger than mine, that's for sure," Xion deadpanned.

"Now _this _is what I call a conversation!" Ven commented to Haru off-hand.

Kairi was only concerned with the asshole across the table. "You have no right to speak to me like that!"

Xigbar folded his arms smugly. "Why not? You're just a regular person like everyone else, aren't you? And it's freedom of speech, baby. I can say whatever I want to you!"

"Ooh, you are infuriating you greasy pirate pervert!"

"Whatever, paper breasts."

"Well then, I guess you might like my breasts, since they're sunken chest! Right, Pirate?"

"Hey, you know the difference between rock candy and your tits—I can actually enjoy rock candy."

"Shut up!"

"Make me, worthless cunt!"

"Dad, can we have breakfast like this more often?" Ventus asked.

"Aha, I know now!" Aqua said, interrupting their argument. "It's not easy to forget those beautiful blue eyes. Man, I haven't seen you ever since you were just a four-year-old girl. You're Claire's daughter, aren't you?"

Kairi's jaw dropped. "Wha…?"

Terra turned to his wife in shock before looking at Kairi. "Wait a second—so that makes you… the princess!"

Silence washed over the room as they all waited for someone to make a move. Xigbar was the first to break the awkward air, as he lunged to the other side of the table and bowed to Kairi on his knees.

"Oh, sweet, merciful maiden! Please spare me from my most incongruous treatment to your magnificence!" He kissed her feet. "And your boobs aren't really that bad, I was just talking shit!"

She took a step back. "Get away from me!" She looked up to Aqua. "How do you know my mother?"

She smiled. "Oh, Claire and I go way back. We fought in the war together, along with my husband. You're talking to two legit veterans right now."

"No way…" Sora said. "Your step-mom used to be a badass?" he asked Amaya in a whisper.

"Uh, sure. If that's what you want to call it."

"And we've met before?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah. I've seen you numerous times when you were only a few months to a year old. And even a bit when you were around four." She giggled. "You were so shy, but you had this energetic and optimistic attitude cloaked underneath that introversion." Although, she didn't expect Kairi to be like this at age sixteen, she wasn't about to say that. She figured Claire spoiled her.

"Then what happened to you?" Kairi inquired. "Mother never mentioned you before."

"I'm sure she has a lot of responsibilities other than reminiscing about our time together. Besides, after I opened this bakery with Terra, I never seemed to buy time to actually go and visit her. And she's got enough problems to deal with, being the _queen _and all." She laughed. "I'm sorry, it's just that if you know her as well as I do, you'd know that seeing her as a happily married Queen is far from my previous expectations of her." She sighed. "But I'm proud of her."

"This is so unexpected." Kairi took off her wig as her auburn tresses spilled out chaotically. "At least I can finally take this thing off."

"Wow, you're even prettier than before!" Haru flattered.

She smiled at the praise, although frowned once she heard Sora's mocking scoff. "You should see her when she wakes up. She'd make a magazine called 'bedhead galore.'"

The Princess rolled her eyes.

"Well, since the cat's out of the bag," Amaya interjected, "I have something important I kinda wanted to announce if you guys don't mind."

Everyone's gave Amaya their attention. She stood to her feet and cast a hesitant stare to her step-parents.

"Mom—Dad—I was thinking, since I'm seventeen now, I should be allowed to start making my own decisions."

"Of course," Terra said. Aqua remained silent as she folded her arms.

She presented Sora next to her. "A-And, um, you remember that Key in the stone from a couple weeks ago that allowed the destined man protect the princess?"

"I knew it," Terra said as he stood to his feet, his mountain build towering over the rest of the table. He directed his eyes to Xion and pointed to her. "From the moment you stepped foot into my household, I knew that you were the chosen one to protect Radiant Garden from the threat of a potential war with that foolish dictator, Master Xehanort. I can sense your wisdom, your insight, and your perception. Power sleeps within you, and if you give it form, it will give you strength."

All eyes were on the rigid Xion as she looked around the table confusedly. "Um… what?"

"No, you idiot!" Sora said. "_I'm _the chosen one!"

Terra looked at Sora with disappointed eyes. "Oh." He sat back down and clasped his hands together, shutting his eyes in deep contemplation. "We're doomed."

Sora was about to give this guy a piece of his mind before Amaya placed a hand on his shoulder, prompting him to restrain his anger with a childish stomp.

Amaya shook her head. "Anyway, my point was that he's still a little rusty, particularly on his magic. So I figured I'd go along with them and um, help teach Sora how to use, not only his Keyblade, but magic, too. Since, you know, Master Xehanort might attack at any time and I think Sora needs to be prepared."

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… sure."

"Amaya," Aqua deadpanned. "Have you heard of the prediction from the monks of the Land of the Dragons?"

Amaya shook her head with parted lips.

"This is all just a big plan in motion according to fate. Those monks predicted that one day the time would come when the princess's chosen guardian would save not only her, but the world as well."

Sora's mouth unintentionally dropped. "Me? Save the world?" He lowered his gaze in thought. Since when did all of this responsibility fall on his shoulders? All he knew was of the princess. Kairi cast him a sympathetic look down the table.

"This young man's destiny is to be our savior." Aqua glared at Amaya. "But I don't see your name being woven into that prophesy—for this reason, I want to keep you away from it. Understood?"

"But Mom…"

"Not another word, Amaya. This war we might be getting ourselves into is destiny. But it's not a part of _your_ destiny. So, please, don't question my decision."

"Okay…" she sat back down, with her eyes attached to her plate, although her mind was miles away from it. Sora tightened his fists and straightened his legs erect as he glowered at Aqua.

"Ma'am, excuse me, but honestly, who gives a shit about your stupid prophesy?"

Everyone gasped.

"Sora!" Kairi breathed. "What are you doing? I can't believe I'm saying this in regards to a bunch of peasants, but show them some respect!"

He ignored her. "Mrs. Irino, is it? I get that you don't want your daughter taking on a challenge like this, but that destiny splurge can go screw itself. We shape our _own_ destinies!"

Amaya looked up to Sora with determination as she stood to her own feet. "He's right, Mom. Being confined to a set path seems a little weird. I want to do this because I want to help. And I think I'm ready."

"Oh, so _now _you want to help?" Aqua scoffed. "You should've thought about that three years ago."

"I never said that I wanted to be aggressive, but—"

"Amaya, you don't have what it takes," Aqua interrupted. "You're too weak to handle the responsibilities of what's at stake, and I'm highly convinced you'll end up being the sole reason that everything will be torn to shreds."

Sora stared at her, astonished. "Hey, you can't just say that to her!" He turned to Amaya and noticed the tears flowing down her cheeks. "Amaya…"

She sniffed and used her arm to wipe her eyes. "S-Sorry, it's just…"

"See what you did? You made her cry!" Sora accused.

"Why should I hold back from the brat who couldn't save my child?" Aqua fired back.

"H-Huh?" Sora stepped back.

Aqua pushed herself up, her eyebrows narrowed. "My little girl died because Amaya couldn't handle the responsibilities that came with being a Keyblade wielder! And now she comes here to tell me that she's ready to take on a task as big as this? Don't you talk to _me _about tears, young man!"

They all noticed Ven by the door with a bag over his shoulders. "You guys got issues. Dad, I'ma be at Granny's this weekend."

"Ven, quit fooling around!" Terra yelled.

Amaya walked pass Ven and upstairs to her room. Sora didn't hesitate to run after her. Kairi frowned at Aqua.

"Kids, I think it's best if you went up to your rooms," Kairi said to Ventus and Haru.

"Okay, Auntie Kairi…" Haru said, visibly broken in the face. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She went over to Ven as he held her hand into the next room.

Xigbar crossed his arms. "Well, we all knew this day would come eventually."

* * *

Amaya busted her room open and fell to the floor whimpering. Sora walked in soon after her. "Amaya, you gotta get a hold of yourself."

She sniffed. "No, she's right. I let my own sister die because I was too weak to save her…"

"Well, can you tell me what happened?"

"No! I don't want to ever recall that memory ever again!"

"But—"

"Amaya," they heard. Sora turned around to find Kairi as the source of the voice. Kairi walked into her room and kneeled down, trying to look at Amaya's face. "Are you okay?"

"Don't ask dumb questions, Kai. Does she look like she's okay?"

"Hey, don't get an attitude with me!" Kairi sighed. She was raw in the face of empathy. She twitched her hand towards Amaya's hunched back and began rubbing. She had to be sensitive to not only Amaya, but herself as well.

Sora couldn't believe what he was seeing; Kairi, at least trying to be compassionate towards someone else.

"Amaya, forgive me… I'm not very experienced in these little crying scenes," she cast Sora a worried look, "but I think it would be best if you told Sora and I about whatever your mother is talking about."

"W-W-W-What a-are you t-a-alking about?" Amaya trembled.

"I think she's saying that it's better to let it out of your system instead of keeping it all bottled up inside."

"But… t-t-this is all too much."

Sora stood up. "Maybe we should give her some space, Kairi."

She shook her head. "You go on ahead." He gave her an unsure look. "Don't worry, I got this."

Sora scratched the back of his head as he exited Amaya's room, shutting the door as gently as he could. He sighed from all this drama as he staggered downstairs and into the living room, where only Xion, Xigbar, and the two parents sat. Terra occupied Aqua.

"Mrs. Irino, I think you got some explaining to do."

Kairi sat across from Amaya with her legs bent. The sound of Amaya weeping filled the air as she held onto her dresser hopelessly, the tears pouring like rain drops.

"W-Why are you here? Why won't you leave?"

"Because you're being a big baby," Kairi said naturally. "In fact, you're proving your mother point right now by crying about it instead of trying to get over it. And if you can't do that, how do you expect that we'd be able to trust you to train Sora and help out in the case of a war?"

"How can I just get over it? It's not like I ever denied my mother's words… Because she's right. I'm not fit t-to train Sora. If anything popped up, I wouldn't be able to handle it." She lifted her head. "Just like with that guy from the bar yesterday, I froze up because I hate f-fighting. Why can't we all just end these kinds of disputes through peace?"

"Sorry, but the world doesn't work like that." Kairi took a closer look at Amaya and tried to speak softer. "In either case, you need to get it all out and let it go. You're gonna feel this way until you do."

Amaya sniffed. After a few moments, she got into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes. Kairi turned around to find some tissues conveniently sitting on a nightstand. She picked them up and handed it to Amaya.

"Thanks." Amaya dried her tears. "Mom and I used to be really close, until I got my Keyblade. It happened when I was fourteen after stopping this guy from breaking into our apartment. Mom was super proud and ecstatic about it saying that I was 'blessed with a gift' and all that, but I never shared her enthusiasm. She would try to teach me how to use it all the time, especially magic, since she was quite the mage herself. But I've always been reluctant towards it."

"That explains a lot." And that wasn't sarcasm.

"One day, I told her that I didn't want to use the Keyblade anymore. It led to some arguments, and it was to the point that we were never as close as we once were." She sniffed. "It's part of the reason why I hate this stupid Keyblade… because it ruined my relationship with her."

Kairi nodded.

Amaya lowered her eyes. "I was just beginning to get the hang of using the Keyblade, and then…"

"Terra and I had another baby at the time." Aqua smiled at the memory. "Her name was Sachi… she was beautiful." She sighed. "At our old apartment, we were just a couple days away from moving out and coming to this house, since our family was growing after I adopted Ven and had Sachi, not to mention Haru, Amaya and Xiggy."

"Needless to say, our apartment was getting a bit stuffy," Amaya attempted to chuckle. "So, we were moving… and… we were attacked."

Kairi crossed her arms as she took in every word.

"It's not easy being my mom's daughter. Since she used to be heavily involved with all sorts of military things, random guys would try to take her down every now and then. Dad thinks that someone had to be sending these guys to deck her. Usually, Mom would wipe the floor with them, but this time, the guy had a trick up his sleeve."

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked.

"He was an assassin, alright," Aqua continued. "He had this scythe and could control plants and all that other crazy stuff. To bait me, he snuck in and threatened Sachi's life if I didn't surrender. I was about to, but then Amaya stepped in. And for the first time, I saw her truly angry as she fought, what was his name again? Mar… something. Terra and I had to get the kids out of the place, fast."

"I would've lost the fight," Amaya admitted, "if it weren't for all the spells Mom taught me. I had him in the palm of my hand, and I could've stopped him… But when the time came, I choked, refusing to take someone else's life. He caught me off guard at my most vulnerable, and before I could retaliate… Sachi, he had her in his arms and he…he…"

"I ran back into the apartment with my Keyblade ready to help after I knew everyone else was safe, but I only found Amaya holding Sachi in her arms."

Sora and Xion shared a horrid look. "Oh, that poor baby…" Xion said.

"It looked like the assassin got away, but he knew the damage was done. I blamed Amaya for the whole thing, which she took straight to the heart and for good reason." Aqua gazed into Terra's eyes lovingly. "I had my beloved looking out for me, so I was able to recover in about a year's span. But… it took a couple years for Amaya to get back on track because she blamed herself for the whole thing." Aqua lowered her eyes. "Looking back now, I think it's safe to say both Amaya and I have made some mistakes. But even now, Amaya always puts the fault on her shoulders entirely, even though I'm at fault as well."

Sora sunk back into his chair. He never would have guessed that under the super optimistic and cheerful Amaya would be such a latent sadness.

"I think subconsciously, I've always thought that it was all her fault as well, but saying all this now makes me realize the things I didn't do very exquisite either. I pushed her too hard into something she didn't want to do and I didn't prompt her thoroughly on what it meant to have such a gift, so of course she wouldn't understand." Aqua looked Sora in the eyes. "I shouldn't have gotten so mad at her for not wanting to be a Keyblade wielder when she didn't desire to be. I just didn't want such blessing to go wasted, but I suppose I didn't know how to handle it properly. I've trained some Keybladers from time to time, but the difference was that they were all excited about it. Amaya was the first student I had who couldn't care less."

"Yeah, she told me how she's a pacifist," Sora said.

"Even still, I'm sure she didn't mean to let you down like that," Xion said. "It sounds to me like she had a lot of responsibility completely out of nowhere, so I think it's natural that she wouldn't know how to handle it."

Aqua nodded. "I did put a lot of pressure on her, didn't I? I guess that's why she froze up when the time came. I don't want our relationship to end on such a bad note. She might be adopted, but I still love her as if she were my blood. I think I owe her an apology."

"Yeah, I think you do." Sora crossed his arms.

"It's my fault," Amaya whimpered. "I don't know what to do."

"Well, yeah, it is your fault," Kairi said. Amaya gasped, expecting a much more solemn response. "Hate to tell you this, sweetie, but when the time comes, sometimes you have to put your own troubles behind you and build up the strength to do things that you don't want to do." Kairi tied her hands behind her head. "I should know. Being the princess and all, I've had to do a lot of bullshit that I never wanted to do. But nine times out of ten, I'd suck it up and just get it over with. I'm not saying you had to kill that guy, but at the very least, apprehend him. Your little sister's life was lost because you were too scared to do anything about it. It's actually kinda selfish."

Amaya felt another tear. "You're right…"

Kairi lowered her eyes in thought. "Quit acting like you're the first and only person to have ever made a mistake. Sora has shown me Radiant Garden. I've seen some of the homeless peasants with their spirits broken into nothing but aimless hope that will lead them to inevitable squander. It made me realize that everything could always be worse. So put your big girl pants on and deal with it."

Amaya tried to say something, but her words were all jumbled.

"Listen," Kairi interrupted. "I understand that it is difficult to deal with it, and I get that you're probably a little shaken up from the painful memories, believe me, I've been there. But you know, my grandfather, as annoying as he can be, did tell me something that's always stuck with me. He said it to me after this awful breakup with this guy I used to like."

"What was that?" Amaya asked with authentic interest.

Kairi crawled towards Amaya and looked at her in the eyes, making her lean back. Kairi hit Amaya right on the head.

"Ow!" Amaya touched the spot. "You know, you're a really bad therapist. What'd you do that for?"

Kairi shrugged. "Does it really matter? It's in the past, right?"

"But it still hurts…" she pouted.

"Yeah, that's what my grandfather said. He said that the past can hurt, but you can either run from it… or, learn from it." Kairi attempted to hit Amaya again, but she leaned to the side. "See?"

Amaya cracked a slight smile. "Your grandpa must be very wise."

Kairi blinked. "Well, to be honest with you, he claims he learned it from some kind of crazy monkey while out on one of his weird expeditions, but it sounds intelligent enough."

They shared a chortle. Kairi realized she probably needed to follow her own advice, since she still had Sora expectant on her telling him about her past. She shook the feeling off and placed a hand on Amaya's shoulder and gradually curved her lips into a sensitive smile. "Just remember, Sora and I will be here for you."

Amaya returned the smile. She never considered Kairi to be so generous since it always felt like she held some kind of grudge against her. "Thanks… Kairi."

Amaya hugged her, which caught the princess stiff. She hadn't had a hug in forever, but she admittedly liked the feeling. It felt warm. An hour passed and Amaya turned to the door frame to find Aqua at the door. "Mom?"

"Amaya…" Aqua muttered. Kairi helped Amaya to her feet as she took a step forth. "I realize I haven't been the greatest mother to you. You've made some bad choices, and I've made some. And while, I don't think I can ever forget the fact that you weren't able to save Sachi," Amaya winced, "I can also admit that I bear some of the blame." She gave Amaya a stern look and placed her hands on her hips. "So stop blaming yourself all the time, because that's annoying too."

Amaya leaned back. "Okay."

Aqua softened her expression and rested her arms at her sides. "And… I'm sorry."

It was the first time Amaya had heard her mother apologize to her.

"And I love you, or something like that," she mumbled, letting part of her pride get in the way.

Amaya clutched her arms around Aqua. "Mom… I'm sorry. I love you, too."

They parted. "So please, can we just put all this crap behind us and be friends again?"

"Mom—that's all I ever wanted." She beamed.

"But _don't _go thinking I forgive you for everything. Let's take it slow, okay?"

Amaya nodded. "I can do that."

Sora walked into the room and stood next to Kairi with a smile. He folded his hands behind his head. "Good work. What'd you do, scare some sense into Amaya?" he whispered.

Kairi crossed her arms with her own smirk. "Give me more credit than that. I can be quite persuasive." Before she knew it, Kairi was wrapped in another hug from Amaya.

"I gotta thank you, too. Thank you for those things you said, it really woke me up."

Kairi patted Amaya on the back with a smile directed at Sora. "You and these hugs, Amaya…"

She giggled as she released her. "Sorry."

* * *

Amaya had a bag all packed up as she stood by the door with Sora, Kairi, and Xion. Terra kissed his step-daughter on the forehead. "Look at you, all grown up with the princess and the Keyblade wielder by your side. I'm so proud of you."

"Dad, I think I've had enough mush for one evening."

Terra shook his head. "I guess the old man can't get any love. I see how it is."

Xigbar smirked and gave his step-sister a mocking salute. "Don't screw up this time, alright?"

"Okay," Amaya chuckled.

"And get a life during our absence while you're at it," Kairi added.

Xigbar was about to say something before Terra rested a palm on his shoulder. "Let it go, son."

Aqua stood behind Terra with her arms crossed. "I still don't approve of this."

Amaya tilted her head. "Aw, Mom…" She walked towards her with open arms, but Aqua used a hand to smother Amaya's face.

"For god's sake, not another hug."

Amaya smiled sheepishly and placed her arms behind her back.

"Just promise me that you'll come back in one piece."

Amaya nodded. "Don't expect anything less!" She clenched a fist with a look of determination. Sora placed a hand on her shoulder next to her.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Irino. I'll be sure that nothing happens to her."

Aqua nodded. "I'll hold you to that." She looked at Sora. His face was so sincere, she could tell a lot must have been hidden inside of him. She knew that the day would come when the world would be in danger, and maybe this kid had what it took. She turned to Amaya. When she wasn't sulking in her insecurities, her bright smile had the power to light up any soul on the darkest day. It reminded her of the old days when she would spend with Terra and Ventus Senior.

She chuckled, making Sora and Amaya share a confused look. Terra crossed his arms smugly. The sound of that chuckle initiated his wife's return to her old self.

"You've been looking after my daughter, haven't you?" Aqua asked Sora.

He rubbed his head. "Hehe, more like she's been looking after me."

"I see." She turned to Amaya. "Since you two seem to be pretty good friends, you guys have to promise me something. Amaya, if Sora ever seems like he's lost or is about to go down a dark path all alone, you make sure you stay with him and keep him safe."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "A dark path?"

"That's the job I'm giving you, Amaya. I'm counting on you."

Kairi crossed her arms stubbornly, which made Xion bat an eye towards her. Who did that peasant think she was, saying that Amaya would be the one to keep Sora safe? If anything, _Kairi _would be the one who would keep him safe—and nobody else.

Wait, what in the world was she thinking?

"Okay," Amaya answered.

Sora thought nothing more of it as he turned to his friends, which he just noticed were all girls. He seriously wished Riku could have come along.

Amaya bent down and disheveled Haru and Ven's hair before they sandwiched her into a welcoming hug. It wasn't even three seconds into the hug before Haru sped over to Kairi, giving her a big hug, as well.

"I'm gonna miss you, Princess!"

"With all these hugs, I think I'm gonna barf. But you're an exception, Haru."

"Yay!"

"Well, I guess we better hit the road," Sora addressed them.

Kairi nodded. They made the plan to convince her parents about letting Xion and Amaya move into the palace, at least, temporarily until Xehanort didn't pose any more of a threat. Kairi was sure that they would understand.

The ground quaked, making everybody almost stumble over.

"What the hell was that?!" Xigbar exclaimed.

Sora ran outside the door. He turned to his left and looked up with scrunched eyebrows. Amaya noticed and raised her own brow before running out with him. She looked up and was paralyzed.

A large army of varied Heartless sauntered towards the town. The sky was flourished with darkness despite it being quite early in the morning.

"But…" Amaya trailed off.

"We're gonna have to round up everybody in the town and vacate the area. I think Master Xehanort has finally made his move."

"S-So you mean…?"

"Radiant Garden is under attack."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was originally supposed to be like 5000 words, but Amaya and Aqua's backstory ended up adding like 2000 words. Matter fact, this stupid AN is probably gonna add another 1000 :/ I can't help it tho.**

**I tried to give this chapter a balance between humor, emotion, and character development. I know that Aqua and Amaya's reconcile was a little rushed, but there really isn't much of a reason to stretch it out any further than that. Short and simple! **

**There are quite a few references in this and things I gained inspiration from in this chap. First of all, I gained inspiration for Ven Jr. from SoraxKairi7 and Blissy's version of him in their fic, "Sex Ed", which I'm sure most of you probably have read or at least seen by now. Check it out, if not! It's hilarious! **

**Sachi is actually one of Blissy's old characters, and I hate to be using so many of her characters like this, (although this'll probably be the last chapter of them besides Amaya herself) but I swear this is the last time! I just thought she would be best to fill that role, since there weren't any FF or KH characters I could think of that would fit. And I'm too lazy to make my own XD If I do think of something, I'll replace Sachi just so that it doesn't look so... idk... plagiarizing. **

**Speaking of Blissy, she made that cover photo for me up there! You are all jealous. **

**That last scene with Aqua talking to Sora and Amaya about "saving" him down a "dark path" and all that deep ish, I'm sure most of you caught on, but it was meant to parallel Aqua talking to Sora and Riku in BBS. **

**And of course, the Lion King reference! XD I know it's overrated but it's my favorite Disney movie! **

**There might be some other ones in there. But I hope you liked it and sorry it took me a while. Remember to leave me a review! :D**

**By the way, 76 follows with 63 favs?! Thank you all SO much for that! **


	18. Turning Point

"GYAHH!"

Sora crashed through the glass window of a nearby convenience store. The store owner, who was already frightened by the nightmarish war occurring outside, jumped from the sudden impact. Crouched behind the counter, he slowly rose from his hiding place with his eyes cautious by orders of fear and paranoia. Sora had smashed into one of the shelves; his aching body was decorated in broken antiques that carved his already bruised body.

The man ran over to Sora and lifted his body carefully. "Easy now, young man," his aging voice croaked. "It's much too dangerous to be out there, you had best run!"

Sora spat some blood to the side. "Sorry dude, that's not an option. Thanks for the advice, though."

His entire body was compromised by exertion. Sora had been battling the endless hordes of Heartless parading the streets of Radiant Garden for the past twenty minutes and it looked like they only grew stronger with each passing second. They were scarce of mercy; they showed no signs of remorse for tearing down houses and killing the innocent bystanders that didn't have an escape route.

Amaya and Terra helped out with their combined strength as Keyblade wielders. Aqua stayed behind at the house with Kairi, Xigbar, Xion, and the kids with her own Keyblade on standby. She was ready to protect her family if the Heartless invaded their property.

Sora did his best and was able to keep himself relatively unscathed from fatal wounds. He improved his technique at Keyblade-wielding, but he was still rough around the edges. Needless to say, he got batted around until his body gave out and was thrown back first into the convenience store.

"Sora," yelled another voice. The store owner shrieked in fright. The voice was strong and heavy like a baritone.

A man in a black cloak unveiled his Ethereal Blades. With one quick whiplash, he broke down the entire wall of the store. Behind him, an infestation of Heartless ran amuck through Radiant Garden beneath a menacing, black sky.

The owner took that as a sign to hurry out of there, despite how dangerous it looked out in the streets. "Run for your life!" He lost himself in the sea of relentless creatures.

Sora showed no signs of fear. He watched as the hooded man revealed himself beneath his cloak.

"It's been too long, Sora," Xemnas said, grinning.

"And yet that still isn't enough time for me to miss seeing that ironing board of a face of yours. And yes, my jokes are terrible, deal with it."

Xemnas shook his head. "How could a prepubescent imbecile like you be a Keyblade wielder?"

"Prepubescent? Aw, but my testis dropped last night." Sora summoned his Keyblade and ran towards Xemnas without hesitation. He made a swing, but only penetrated air. Xemnas had lunged backwards all the way across the street, standing tall on the edge of a building. "Afraid to go against a prepubescent imbecile like me, huh?" Sora mocked.

"I don't have to do anything to you physically to destroy you." Xemnas glided down over the building tops.

"Wait a minute!" Sora ran out onto the streets absentmindedly and he was distracted by the oncoming threats of Heartless. He stood paralyzed by a lack of awareness. At the last second, Amaya pounded on the ground with an impact hard enough to make a few of the enemies fly back.

She twirled her Keyblade before lifting it up into a pose. She was covered in a line of crystals that resembled snowflakes and she used her force to toss them at the Heartless, killing a good quantity.

"You can't just stand there like that, you gotta go after him!" Amaya said, preparing her Keyblade to perform magic.

"You're coming with me, right?" Sora asked as he hacked and slashed at a couple Heartless.

"I-I'm kinda busy holding 'em off!"

"You two, get out of here!" yelled Terra. They turned their heads to see him running through the horde swinging his Keyblade at the multitude of enemies. His Keyblade then morphed into a canon and open fired.

"Damn," said Sora, "talk about coming in like a wrecking ball…"

"Move it! This is grown up stuff!" Terra yelled at them.

Sora wanted to buffer his statement, but Amaya grabbed his hand and jolted him into the distance. She blasted bolts of fire from her Keyblade to keep Neoshadows from coming too close.

"Looks like I'm coming with you," Amaya said. "Buckle up, because we're gonna go save your sister!"

* * *

Back at the Irino household, everybody was cramped up in a corner of the attic. Xigbar scooted over to Xion gradually, attempting to get her attention. She looked to be lost in her own world.

He cleared his throat. "So, baby, you's and me, we ain't never really get to formally introduce ourselves. I've been looking for my next lucky girl, and I like your face. We should get to know each other."

Xion gave him an odd look. "Um, I don't know how to respond to that…"

"Get away from her, you creep," Kairi barked. "That's no way to talk to a girl."

"Shut up, I'm going for the bad boy affect!"

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood to talk right now," Xion said.

"Aw, come on…" Xigbar whined.

Xion clenched a fist. "My brother is out there risking his life—again. I just got back into contact with him, now the town's about to be destroyed by those creatures and I might lose him—again. Why would I want to talk about hooking up with you right now? That's the last thing on my mind right now. No, scratch that—it's not even worthy of being anywhere on my mind at all."

"Oh, I mean, um…"

"Don't you get it? This is serious. Your parents are out there risking their lives and all you can think about is a booty call?"

"Xion, I didn't mean to—"

"I'm sorry, but I need to be alone right now." Xion stood and walked over to the other corner. She sat down and hugged her knees.

Xigbar sighed as Ventus playfully bumped his big brother on the shoulder. "I think she's digging you, bro."

Xigbar shoved his little brother to side. "Twerp."

"This is so scary in the most awesome way," Ventus continued. "It's a Heartless apocalypse out there and Dad is trying to help! I feel like I'm in one of those stories Mom reads to us!"

"How can you say that?" Haru asked. "What if Daddy doesn't make it back?"

Ven turned around with a frown. "Dad always comes back! And he'll come back this time, too!" His frown withdrew into a look of uncertainty. "Right?"

Kairi hated to hear Haru say that. She wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Ven's right, you shouldn't think like that. It's not good for you. Your dad's gonna be fine."

"Really?"

The princess didn't want to give her false hope, but what else could she do to keep her content? "W-Well—"

"Guys," Aqua interrupted, poking her head up from the opening. "Stay alert, okay? The Heartless are running rampart out in town, tearing down houses and buildings without a second thought. I have a force field surrounding us for the moment, but it can't sustain for too much longer. It won't be very long before they target this house next, so we might have to make a run for it."

"Are you serious?" Ventus asked.

"Yes! And you need to be vigilant and follow everything that's ordered! This isn't a game. We could seriously die out here and if anything happens to any of you…"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Irino," Kairi said as she brought Haru and Ven closer to her protectively. "I'll take care of them. I'll make sure nothing happens to any of them." Kairi would do anything to make sure these kids would remain safe.

Aqua nodded as she pulled herself inside the attic. "Kairi, can you come here please?" Aqua pulled out a key and placed a hand on the young princess's shoulder. "I'm going to do my best to protect this house and keep you guys safe, but there's way too many Heartless to guarantee the town's, or even my own safety by tonight. I can help subdue them at best, but if anything happens to me, I want you to take my kids and run. Run as fast as you can all the way over to the docks located near the Highwind Bridge, I've a couple emergency modes of escape there."

She placed the key in Kairi's hand and closed her fingers with her own hand, holding her hand affectionately. Her eyes had a glint of sincerity and trust that Kairi had never seen before. No one ever trusted her with such an important task, she was always overlooked.

"I trust you to get this done. And by the way, don't tell Xiggy I'm putting you in charge, he'd have a fit." She winked.

"B-But Mrs. Irino… everything's going to be okay, right?"

Aqua offered a smile tainted with sadness rooted from worry. "If things don't work out and you're able to see your mother again, tell Claire I love her and would have liked to see her again."

"Mrs. Irino, don't say such—"

Aqua suddenly fell to her knees with a groan of pain. The others shifted to their mother's side.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Haru asked.

"I'm fine, I just… couldn't sustain the force field any longer…"

Ventus scratched his head with a puzzled look. "But Mom, I thought—"

He was silenced as the house began to rumble.

"They're coming!" Aqua said, lifting herself to her feet and unleashing her Keyblade. She turned to the door, but not before turning her head halfway. "Kairi, you know what to do!"

At Aqua's exit, Haru stared up at Kairi, tears welting in her eyes. "Princess, what are we gonna do?"

Kairi turned to the others with an unsure look. Xion confronted the group. "What's going on?"

Kairi took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Sora seemed fit for this job, but of course, he was out risking his life once again. It was up to her to keep these kids safe and she didn't exactly appreciate Aqua dumping unnecessary amounts of responsibility on her shoulders. She had never had to take lead of a group in a life or death situation before. Now, she had to get used to it when these people needed her most.

Before could speak, the entire wall exploded into nothing, letting the night air breathe into their space. Chunks of wood brushed against their faces as they kept their eyes shut tight to avoid the dust.

"Shit!" Xigbar spat. The group stood stricken with fear as Shadows and Neoshadows fled into the area. A few of them encircled Kairi and her friends with vicious intents on standby while the others wasted no time in tearing apart the rest of the worn out household. Xemnas entered the broken facility with an almost bored gaze.

"Well, isn't this a surprise? You're all here. A gathering that can only be a product of fate."

Their lungs felt clogged, they were too paralyzed to speak. Haru whimpered and backed into Kairi's legs. The princess could feel the poor little girl tremble and she put her hands on her shoulders in response. Kairi felt her own tears threatening to spill, but before she gave in, she closed her eyes. She had to stay strong. What would Sora do in a situation like this?

She gave Xemnas a glare, wiping away any potential tears and gulping down impending sobs. "Listen you—you better get out of here if you know what's good for you!"

Xigbar tapped her shoulder. "Uh, Princess… I don't think it's wise to antagonize him…"

Xemnas smirked. "Princess Kairi… running amuck as a fool, I see." He noted her getup as a peasant. "Killing all of you will be just what I need to turn your dear Sora into a pool of tears, where he'll drown in depression. Knowing from this day forward that he is only a sham of the hero you all make him to be."

Kairi stretched her arms out and stood before the others protectively. "I'm not scared of you!"

Ventus nodded. "Yeah, we're not scared of you!"

"I'm scared of you, sir," said a shivering Xigbar.

"How unfortunate… I have to do away with such a lively cast. Your bravery is admirable, but like all those who stand tall yet defenseless in the face of death, it is sheer stupidity." He unleashed his Ethereal Blades and began walking toward them.

With each step he took, Kairi's heartbeat increased in speed. What was she supposed to do? There was nowhere to run. Despite her mind being deluged in turbulence, she thought about Sora. She wondered what he would do. He would be brave and do whatever it took to save the people who needed him, even if it meant for the exchange of his life.

She shut her eyes and mustered up some courage, all the while promising herself that if she made it out of the situation alive that she would never step foot out of the castle ever again.

She inhaled through her nose and let it out with a sigh. She leaned her head over to Xion. "I'm going to distract him. When I do, I want you guys to get out of this house as fast as possible before the creatures tear it all down. Got it?"

Kairi gave the perplexed Xion no time to respond as she ran towards Xemnas.

"Princess, what are you doing?!" Xion asked as she drew out her hand in an attempt to get her back. It was in vain.

Kairi stopped herself mid-run when Xemnas came swinging down with one of his blades. The princess narrowly dodged his attack and squealed in fear. Before Xemnas could react, she quickly grabbed his leg and refused to let go. Her arms latched around him tightly.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Xemnas asked with a repulsed look. He tried shaking her off as if she were a bug. All Kairi could do was pray that she made it out alive and that this would somehow buy her friends some time.

"GO! GET OUT OF HERE, FROGS!" Kairi yelled at Xion and the others.

Though they were confused, and worried, Xion led the rest of them back the other way and out of the attic. Xemnas had thrust his leg out to shake Kairi off. She fell against the floor hard. Xemnas walked up to the seemingly defeated princess and stepped on her stomach, causing Kairi to belt in pain.

Once Xigbar and the kids were all out of the attic, Xion looked back at the scene behind her. She commanded that they left immediately while she ran back towards Xemnas.

Xemnas picked Kairi up by the throat. "You're mine now, Princess."

Xion jumped on the inattentive Xemnas's back and bit him on the ear, ramming in her teeth until she could taste his blood. Xemnas let go of Kairi and recoiled, clutching his ear. Xion ran to Kairi's side as the poor princess coughed ferociously.

"Damn it!" He touched the sore and noticed the blood on his fingers. "A feeble dissent… how annoying. It's only going to be easier to kill you."

"You're not going near the princess!" Xion yelled. "I don't care what you do to me—but she's very important to my brother and I'm not going to stand for it!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Your brother? And just who might that be?"

"What's it matter to you?!" Xion cried as she began punching Xemnas on his rock hard chest. He didn't feel a thing. With a malicious grin, he put two and two together to realize that she was Sora's sister.

"Well, well… the sister of the infamous Sora Yukana. You'll be quite the turning point, won't you?" Xemnas picked Xion up by the throat, just as he did moments ago with the princess.

Kairi noticed and used all of her strength to lift herself up. She ran towards Xemnas but he easily back slapped her across the room into the wall. Kairi put her hands out to break her fall, but she landed wrong and her elbow gave out on her. She cried in agony as she rolled onto her back, clutching her broken arm. Xemnas proceeded to choke the life out of Xion.

Xion squirmed and tried kicking him, but it was all in a vain effort.

"It's cute to see you try, but there really is no point."

Xion spat in his eye. "Fuck you," she choked out.

Xemnas wiped the spit away with a sigh. "It is quite unfortunate… such a cute little thing, you would have grown into a fine young woman. Your big brother must be very protective of you. It's too bad you're not strong enough to protect yourself."

His grip was so tight; Xion could feel herself losing consciousness. Her eyes began rolling to the back of her head as blood leaked from the sides of her mouth. Her body felt numb… she was losing herself…

"Any last words?"

"Two t-things…" Xion croaked, practically choking out her words. "F-First off, that line is s-so cliché. And s-second… I'm not about to die a virgin, so joke's on you."

Xemnas chuckled. "It's never an easy thing to see the vibrant flowers receive an early sentence."

Kairi tried to get up, but her arm had lost feeling. She noticed by its jagged position that her elbow had been misplaced. She tried to lift herself up but it was too painful. She had no choice but to watch as Xemnas choked the life out of Xion as the Heartless tore this harmless house apart. But Kairi had faith that Sora would come in time.

Right?

He would be there by now, she thought. Where was he? Sora always saved the day… always! Where could he have been when he was needed most? She knew it was quite hectic outside with the Heartless swarming the streets and destroying the peace, but that wasn't enough to stop that idiot from jumping in just in the nick of time like he always did, right?

_Right?! _

Kairi lost hope when Xion's arms fell to her side. At her last breath, her mouth was ajar with eyes wide open in fear. Seeing no further use for her, Xemnas tossed Xion's lifeless body into a pile of boxes.

Kairi couldn't believe her eyes. That could not have just happened! Things like that never happened! Everything always turned out okay!

"Poor thing…" Xemnas said in a low voice. "On the bright side, Sora's reaction should be priceless. The darkness will eat him alive…"

"You… you fucking psychopath!" Kairi slowly but surely lifted herself up, though she had to use her other hand to drag her broken arm up with her. Despite the indescribable amount of pain shooting due to her parted tendons, she wasn't going to lie there helplessly. If this was death as well, she'd go out with at least some pride. "You're a fucking waste of existence! You fucking cunt! How could you do something like that and not feel a damn thing?! You just killed her!"

"It's fun. You should try it some time," he said. "Don't take it personally, it's just the price that has to be paid. Someday justice will be intact and the divine right will prevail, but that will never happen with that stooge of a father and stubborn mother of yours in command."

"So, that's what this is? You're trying to take over the kingdom of Radiant Garden? If that's the case, you're supposed to keep it between you and my father alone. Not the whole town, dumbass!"

"It's high time we break a few rules, don't you agree? Think of this Heartless infestation as nothing more but a… a redecoration, if you will."

"Fucking… fuck… you're pathetic…" Kairi whimpered, tears threatening to leak.

Xemnas walked up to her, slowly, gradually, with a crooked smile faint on his lips. He lowered himself to become face to face with the princess. Kairi refused to look at him.

"Sorry to say, Princess, but with you out of the picture, Mommy and Daddy will be vulnerable and easily manipulated. The only choice I have now is to eliminate you from the playing field, not that you were much of an obstacle to begin with. I still hate to see two pretty faces done away with in one sitting, but it has to be done. Are you afraid?"

"Not really," Kairi admitted in a quiet voice. "I just can't stand your breath. It smells like my asshole." She glared at him. "If you're gonna kill me, could you hurry it up and stop talking so damn much? If our kingdom is gonna be doomed at your hands, I'd _prefer_ to not live."

Xemnas chuckled. "Fair enough. Since I like you and your spunk, I'll make it quick and painless." He unleashed one of his Ethereal Blades and readied himself to strike.

Kairi closed her eyes and prepared herself. Her last thoughts were of Sora, she pictured his goofy smile one final time. "I guess you can't save the day all the time…"

But before Xemnas could strike, a Keyblade hit him in the back like a boomerang. He turned around to see Sora and Amaya.

Sora caught his Keyblade. "Cool move, huh? I call it the Strike Raid."

"Well, you found me," Xemnas said, giving Sora a mock of applause. "Good job, Sora. Well done. It must feel empowering to finally confront failure. How does it feel to fall from grace and realize you're nothing but a mortal?"

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sora, get out of here, you nimrod! This guy's a maniac!"

Sora scoffed. "Yeah, I noticed. Alright, everybody's talking too much." Sora ran towards Xemnas with Amaya trailing behind. Amaya cast a thunder spell, causing bolts to surround Xemnas, stunning him into a daze. While he was distracted, Sora lunged into the air and delivered a slash.

Xemnas hit the wall with impact, but quickly recovered. He soared into the air and unleashed his blades, attempting to swipe at Sora and Amaya. The duo were able to duck and roll past every attempt.

Xemnas landed before them and casted torrents of white and black thorns. The pair reversed out of the way as Sora rolled over to Kairi in one swift motion.

"Kairi, did he hurt you?" He noticed her clutching her arm as tears poured from her eyes. He quickly turned back to Xemnas. "You son of a bitch!"

Xemnas laughed. "That's not even half of it, my friend. Why don't you ask the princess why it is that you're such a fraud?"

Kairi shook Sora by the arm. "Don't listen to him, Sora! We need to get out of here before the Heartless tear this town to shreds!"

Xemnas chuckled as he walked over to the rubble of broken boxes, not taking an eye off Sora and Amaya. Kairi clung to Sora's arm desperately.

"Sora, we have to leave, now!"

Sora retrieved his arm. "What's the rush? I finally got him where I want him. It's two on one."

"I've already won, Sora." Xemnas picked up the deceased body of Xion by the collar.

Sora froze, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. His breath halted. Amaya gasped and took a step back, both hands covering her mouth. Kairi shut her eyes and lowered her head shamefully.

"You should be proud, Sora. She was resilient till the very end, even as I choked her until she became nothing but a corpse, she refused to show fear. You must have been a great role model for her, too bad your idiocy rubbed off on her as well. She died because of it."

Xemnas tossed Xion's lifeless body towards Sora; she rolled right before his feet. His pupils shrunk, his hands twitched, his speech was punctured, and his heart threatened to thump out of his chest. He dropped his Keyblade and fell to his knees.

"X-Xion…"

Xemnas pointed at him. "A boy broken from the demons in his timeline… how does it feel to be a failure, Sora? How does it feel to look at her lifeless face and know that you weren't fit to protect her? Now all that's left is to see you thrive in pain knowing that you shall fail to protect any other of your little taskforce conspirators."

Sora scooped his sister in his arms with the daintiest care, biting his bottom lip. Amaya felt the anger consume her as she swung her Keyblade in a swift motion, releasing a fire bolt in Xemnas's direction. Xemnas somersaulted out of the way and leapt out of the decaying house through the torn down wall.

Kairi felt a few tears herself as she knelt down and wrapped her uninjured arm around Sora's shoulder in an effort to comfort him. Amaya got on her hands and knees, looking over the damage of Xion's body.

"I think I might be able to heal her," Amaya said. "The only problem is my cure spell caters more to wounds and injuries, not death. But there might be a way, we'll need to get out of here."

Sora set Xion down and hunched over her body. "What's the use? Even if she does ever come back, I'll know in my heart that I failed. I fucking failed to save her when she needed me most!" He punched the floor. "God damn it, I'm a piece of shit! I should have been here to die instead of her! Anything it takes…"

"Sora, you have to keep a clear head," Kairi said, rubbing his back. "That's not important right now, what we need to be focusing on is rallying up everybody and getting the hell out of this town."

Sora punched the floor harder. He snatched up his Keyblade as he got up quickly and belted out a roar of anger.

"Sora, please calm down!" Amaya said. It was too late, he ran out of through the broken wall into the chaos outside. Amaya tried to reach out to him. "He's lost his mind!"

"G-Go catch up with him," Kairi stuttered. "He'll be fine. He's just being an idiot right now, but for good reason. There's a boat out on the docks that your mom left us. Everybody should be waiting. I'll take Xion's body there. You just worry about getting Sora back."

Amaya was surprised to see Kairi take such command of the situation. "But, your arm… how will you carry her?"

"Don't worry, I'll figure something out, just hurry up! You're stalling!"

Amaya nodded as she made her exit. The inside of Kairi's arm felt like it was shooting spurts on needles. She picked the body up and wrapped its arms around her shoulders, hurrying out of the house before it fell to rubble. Luckily, Xion didn't weigh much.

* * *

"Don't worry, honey," Claire said to her distressed husband. Hope sat on their bed with his wife holding him from behind. They were still fully clothed in their work attire. "I'm sure the party you sent out will find Sora and Kairi. Maybe they're on their way back right now." She sighed. "I still can't believe Sora and Kairi would run away together. I always figured they hated each other."

Hope clutched the sheets. His bangs hovered over his eyes. "It just seems like lately nothing has ever gone right… if I don't get my little girl back, I just… I don't even want to think about it. God damn it, I don't want to even… oh my god, I can't even…"

Suddenly, their doors busted open. Riku stood in the doorframe. "You guys, it's an emergency!"

Hope only shook his head. "When is it not…?"

Claire rubbed him on the shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll check it out. You don't have to worry about anything."

She got off the bed and followed Riku down the hallway into the main foyer.

"Could you give me the details?" she asked.

"I don't think I really have to." He led her to a window and ripped down the curtain. She saw a bundle of Heartless rallying down to the castle, the city of Radiant Garden looked to nearly be in pieces. "The Heartless have come back and they seem to be rampaging across town, destroying anything in sight."

"That search party we sent out is probably long gone by now…" Claire said, wide eyed in astonishment. "This is so unexpected…" Claire sent her servants out for a resupply of groceries a few days ago, she only hoped they were okay.

"What do we do now?"

Claire learned early on to always have a backup plan. "Get Serah, Merlin, and Naminé to the stagecoach in the backyard! It should be able to get us to a friend's place. But you have to hurry!"

Riku clenched his fist. He finally had been given an important task. "You got it!" He hurried over to round up the residents while Claire sped walked back to her bedroom to inform Hope.

She put a hand on the knob and twisted it, but before she could push it open, Hope came crashing out of the door and into his wife. Claire hardly knew what hit her.

Xehanort walked out the room with a crooked smile. He was guised in his aura of youth. Hope grunted as he lifted himself to his feet. He pulled out his sword that was tucked in a pouch strapped to his thigh and began to slash at Xehanort.

The master backed away from the king's foolish attempts, at one point even grabbing the blade. Hope was caught by surprise as Xehanort tossed him to the side.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, you two." He put his arms behind his back and stood before them in a studious manner. "You can surrender your castle to me or you can fight back and die in the process."

"Taking over a kingdom by force, huh? Doesn't seem like the most intricate plan."

"Why put such effort in it if I can take the things I want from you so easily?"

"Mission accomplished, we're out of here," Claire said as she went over to her husband, helping him to his feet.

"Not so fast," Xehanort said, chuckling. "Who said you were getting away scot-free? I'm not going to let you just leave and come up with some plan to return with a vengeance. You must take me for a fool."

"Oh," Claire deadpanned. "Well, since you put it that way… eat shit!" She unleashed her Keyblade and hit him with a quick thunder bolt. With Xehanort distracted, she and Hope made a beeline down the hallway.

They were stopped when Ansem greeted them at the end. Claire didn't get too enthralled in his presence and did a quick spin, ending with a swipe from her blade.

Ansem dodged the attack but was sidetracked long enough for Claire and Hope to make a turn. As they sped down the hall, the pair felt a certain weight to the room. At the last second, they jumped out of the way from an incoming ground slam from a massive Claymore blade.

They rolled out of the way and noticed Saïx holding onto the weapon with an intense stare. Saïx pulled his large blade and thrust it their way, causing a whirlwind of electricity to be hurled their direction.

Claire grabbed her husband by the collar and dived over the railing behind them. They freefell while surrounded by sets of stairs of the descending floors. Claire grabbed one of the rails on the second floor while clutching onto her husband by the collar. She had to throw him over the rail to get him on the floor.

She flipped over herself and helped Hope up again, but before they could continue running, Xaldin dropped down before them with his lances ready. He thrust them their way. Claire quickly tossed Hope into the air and somersaulted to avoid Xaldin's lances. She landed on the thin staffs, using her agility to run up them until she kneed Xaldin in the face.

She caught Hope in her arms before speeding down into the main foyer. She put Hope back on his feet and they preceded running down the steps and cut a few corners to reach the backyard.

"Riku should be out there with the others by now," Claire informed him. "I just pray that they weren't subdued on their way out there."

The couple kicked down the door to the backyard and found Riku, Merlin, Naminé, and Serah waiting for them by the mini-gates where their carriage and a few horses were.

"Thank goodness," Merlin said. "If it hadn't been for my magic, we wouldn't have been able to get out of that blasted castle alive!"

"Everybody, into the carriage!" Hope demanded. "We don't have much time!"

Xehanort and his band of misfits burst onto the scene with their weapons ready.

"Leaving so soon?" Xehanort asked.

The battlefield was set. Claire got out her Keyblade.

"You're not getting anywhere near my family!"

* * *

Sora saw Xemnas in the distance, gliding toward the castle. "Get the fuck back down here and face me!"

Xemnas spared Sora a slight glance before speeding up his flight. Sora gripped his Keyblade so hard that his veins began to bulge from the intensity. Just as Sora was about to lunge toward him, he was tackled onto a nearby building top.

"Damn it, get off me!" he yelled, trying to get out of the hold.

"Sora, calm down," said the tackler. It was Amaya.

"Leave me alone! I'm gonna kill him! I'm gonna beat him into a bloody pulp!"

"Sora, stop! This isn't you; you have to get a hold of yourself!" Tears streamed down her eyes. She didn't like seeing Sora so vulnerable. "He's long gone, there's nothing we can do…"

Sora got out of her hold and ran to the edge of the building. He watched as Xemnas made his way toward the castle in the distance.

"He's going after them, he's going after Claire! We can't just sit here and—"

"The queen can take care of herself!" Amaya yelled. "Just stop this… we can't stay here. If we do, the Heartless will kill us."

Sora took in deep breaths. His stomach felt like it was inverted. He clenched his fists and hid his eyes with them. His Keyblade reversed materialized and stood there with dark thoughts swimming through his mind. "**FUCK!**"

Amaya walked up to him from behind and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sora, we have to get out of here." She wiped away her tears.

Sora faced her with glossy red eyes. She turned around when he looked at something behind her oddly. They were surrounded by Neoshadows. Amaya did them away with a quick blizzaga spell. "Come on! I know where Kairi is. We're going to get you out of here."

Sora nodded like a little kid that had just finished crying after losing their teddy bear. She took the lead and they hurried down south, avoiding any Heartless that came their way.

They eventually made it to the docks across the seaboard. They saw the Highwind Bridge coming into their viewpoint. The Heartless decreased in numbers the further they traveled. Everybody was there waiting for them.

"We have just enough boats to fit everybody," Xigbar said as the two ran up.

They split the six of them plus Xion's body in two boats, with Ven, Haru, and Xigbar in one, with Amaya, Sora, Kairi, and Xion's body in the other.

The currents were bumpy by orders of violent velocity.

The sea sent them on their way.

Sora held his sister in his arms.

* * *

**Haven't updated this story in seven months! It feels kinda nice to be updating it again, it's like it's rising from the dead or something. **

**Speaking of dead, Xion's dead?! Oh yeah, I went there. **

**I know that the ending is abrupt and I know that I don't really go into detail about the character's emotions or how they're feeling as they sail away from Radiant Garden, that's intentional. **

**This has definitely been a drought year for my updating. I've been absolutely terrible lately. Last year in 2014 I probably updated around forty to fifty times throughout the whole year, this year it's literally been like three. That's just depressing. I don't know why, but my inspiration has been running dry. Hopefully it starts to come back and I can start updating more frequently like I used to. I miss those days already when I could get chapters out in a few weeks instead of having a chapter being months in the making. **

**I've been quite hesitant to update this story because I don't know if people are still enjoying it. When you guys don't read a chapter or don't leave a review, it doesn't really let me know what kind of direction I should take it, you know? Keeps me second guessing all the time and I end up putting out crap you guys probably aren't as interested in. That's why feedback is so important to us writers and why we're always begging for reviews, it can help make the story better not to mention just makes us feel good about ourselves if you can just take the time to give us something to look at. But by now I've started to learn not to expect much anymore as far as feedback goes and I'm just going to keep at it till I get this done. It's kind of a shame because I'm sure the long updating absence has made many people lose interest, and that's really all my fault. Even if you don't review my story, please try to review any other story you're reading. You don't realize how much it can mean to a writer until you're a writer yourself. To those of you who are genuinely still intrigued by this story and are still reading it and look forward to see it progress, I love you! You keep me from abandoning my stories in the first place and I appreciate it so much! **

**And I still appreciate all of you for following or favoriting this story, even if it can be a little bothersome with the declining reviews, I still appreciate that you guys support the story in some way. I really do work hard on this stuff, so I appreciate it! So thank you to EVERYONE who made 74 favs and 87 followers possible!**

**Fic shout outs of the day: **

**Slip Away by Princess-Xion**

**Go read this one-shot by her guys, it's really good and was a huge inspiration for me to finish this chapter! It's written so good it makes me a little jealous! It takes place in the canon verse of Kingdom Hearts and it's just a really fun and exciting read that I think needs some more appreciation, so go leave her some reviews people! **

**Chandelier by SoraxKairi7 **

**Read this, now! I can't say too much without giving the plot away but it's a really awesome story and she's in the process of rewriting this story so that it can be published into a book! Support support support! Go read, now! **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Rags To Riches for anybody who's still reading and interested! Things are getting crazy, huh? The next chapter should be pretty fun for what I have in mind! I'd appreciate it a lot if you left me a review, they make me motivated! Thank you so much for reading! Much love, as always! Have a great day! **


	19. The Aftermath Part I

_Dear Hope, _

_How have you been, pal? I've been meaning to speak with you for a while now. Sorry if I'm a little late, I'm just now receiving your message about your daughter and I can tell just by print that you're really hurting. I'm so sorry to hear that she's missing, but to be completely honest, I'm surprised you'd think that she'd travel to my kingdom, of all places. But I'll do my best. _

_I really owe ya for all that you and Claire did for me back during the war with Xehanort all those years ago. Since you guys stopped the growth of Heartless, my kingdom wasn't harmed. I'll never forget that. I promised to be loyal to you for as long as I live, and you know how I am about my promises. I'm gonna do my best to find your daughter and bring her back to you safe and sound. Don't worry! I know things may seem rough now, but there's always light at the end of the tunnel. Things will work out. I'm gonna be sending my best guys out on the job. We'll get her back to Radiant Garden in no time. _

_Also, I found what you said about that boy with the Keyblade interesting. Do you really believe he has what it takes to stop Xehanort? I know the monks from the Land of the Dragons predicted that one day somebody chosen by the Kingdom Key would make things right between the realms, but I had no idea it'd be a guy you hired to protect your daughter. That Merlin sure knows his stuff, huh? And you say this "bodyguard" is with her? I have to say, I'm looking forward to meeting him, assuming he's still with your daughter. Let's hope they haven't gotten separated. _

_Looks like we're gonna have to band together to stop Xehanort this time. At this rate, he'll take over Radiant Garden in no time. I've met him before and I know good and well that he has the ability to grow even stronger than we can even imagine. He plays his cards right and we can't underestimate him. The world could be at risk! _

_We can do this together. Once I find this Key—the key to our survival, I suppose—we'll come together and work on a plan to take Xehanort down before he corrupts more than your kingdom. I think we can pull this off if we do our best. So stay strong, Hope! I know how tough it must be, but don't let it cloud your judgment. Stay in touch! _

_Sincerely, Mickey _

He put his pen down and marked the end of his letter with his signature stamp that resembled the outline of his face. With his gloved hands, the king of Disney Castle rolled the letter up and placed it in a bottle. He walked over to a nearby window where a seagull stood on the frame. He had on a sailor's hat and a one-strap bag wrapped around his wing.

"Alright, Scuttle," Mickey said in his high-pitched voice. He had to stand on his tippy toes just to stretch his arm enough for Scuttle to grab the bottle. "Could ya do me a favor and get this over to my friend, the King of Radiant Garden? I'd really appreciate it."

"You can count on me, your Majesty! You know I'm always on the job, no slackin'!" Scuttle tucked the bottle into his bag, offered the King a salute, and flapped his wings as he soared across the town.

Mickey looked around at his colorful library. The floor was checkered and unorthodox shelves filled with books spread across the wall, as well as paintings of Mickey in various outfits from his time. His dog, Pluto, rested soundly near the yellow and gold chimney. Mickey bent down and pet his dog. He wore a subtle yet sad smile on his face.

"Welp, boy, looks like I gotta get back to business, huh?"

The mouse king made his way over to his desk and pressed a button on his communicator that made his voice audible throughout the entire castle.

"Donald, Goofy, I need you guys to report to the library. It's very important."

In the matter of moments, Donald busted into the library while dragging Goofy by the collar of his armor. The anthropomorphic duck gave his king a salute as the dazed Goofy regained his balance.

"Yes, your Majesty? Is there a problem?" Donald asked.

"Alright fellas, I have a serious mission for you. The princess of Radiant Garden has gone missing and it's up to us to find her and bring her back to King Hope. I think Master Xehanort is up to no good again!"

Donald and Goofy exchanged worried looks.

"Uh oh," Goofy muttered.

"Also," the King added, "there's supposedly someone out there with a "key"—a key to our survival and if he's not with the princess, he should surely be able to find her. Plus, whoever has the key probably has what it takes to put an end to whatever's been happenin' to Radiant Garden. We need that key or we're doomed! So I need you and Goofy to find him, and stick with him. Got it?"

Donald nodded.

"I don't know what's goin' on over at Radiant Garden right now, but guys, big trouble's definitely been brewin' and it's up to us to band together to put a stop to it."

"Yes, your Majesty!" the two chanted in unison.

"You can count on us," Donald said. Mickey nodded.

"What are you gonna do, your royalness?" Goofy asked.

"That's not a word, Goofy," Donald offered off-handedly.

Mickey rubbed his chin, ignoring their slight bickering. "I'm gonna be investigating what exactly Master Xehanort has up his sleeves this time. Maybe if I do, I can finally figure out just what the heck's been goin' on and put a stop to it." He clenched his fist, looking determined.

They nodded with a salute.

"We get to go on an adventure! A-hyuk!"

"Yeah, great…" Donald said, not sharing Goofy's excitement. "An adventure with you is always a riot," he added sarcastically.

"So," Mickey said, walking towards the door, "can you guys apologize to Minnie and Daisy for me? Thanks guys, you're the greatest!" He rushed out the door before they could protest.

Donald threw his hat to the ground. "Aw, phooey! How come he always gives us the job to apologize to the girls? Why I oughta—"

"You oughta what, Donald dear?" said his sweetheart, Daisy, as she and the queen of Disney Town entered the library upon hearing Donald's carrying voice. That sneaky king left the door cracked open as he made his escape.

"G'mornin' ladies! Did ya hear about the big mission?"

"Big mission?" Minnie asked, tilting her head slightly. "What mission?"

Donald tried to shush Goofy, but the big idiot couldn't take the hint.

"Charades?" Goofy wondered, scratching his head.

Donald chuckled nervously. "Don't mind him, ladies. It's actually just a quick trip to the market, that's all."

"Yeah, right. So, what exactly is this big mission, Donald?" Daisy asked with her arms crossed as she tapped her foot expectantly. "You have some explaining to do, mister."

Donald leaped until he was level with Goofy's head and didn't hold back from knocking the big lug in the back of the head so hard that he hit the floor, chin first. "Oh, why can't you just keep that big mouth of yours shut?!"

* * *

Failure was a pain that Sora promised himself he would never endure. How could he come up short in a trial where the stakes were at an all-time high? He let everyone down, his father, his mother… and of course, the sister who he had promised to protect ever since they were children. Reality was more than just a rude awakening. It was a test of inner strength.

Sora held Xion's body throughout the night as they sailed across the serene sea, the waves had calmed over the lapse of darkness. The sun was shy this morning as it hid behind thick, grey clouds.

Kairi moaned a bit before slowly opening her eyes and unraveling herself from slumber, quickly grasping her injured arm. Memories of the previous night hit her like a bullet and she was filled with sudden depression. She rubbed her eyes and focused her vision.

Land was not in sight. Across from them, Xigbar and the kids slept in another small, white sailboat just like theirs. He must have put it on autopilot during the night to get some sleep. Amaya did the same for her and Sora.

She turned around and noticed Sora with his legs crossed, holding Xion in his arms, his eyes shut tight. It was apparent that he was awake. Amaya slept soundly by the steering wheel.

"Sora…" Kairi said. He didn't respond. Kairi didn't hesitate to walk over to him. She had never given anybody her condolences before and she didn't know how to approach this situation appropriately. But he just lost his sister. He was in deep need of a friend who cared. But was Kairi fit for the task? Did Sora even consider her as a friend? Amaya was so much better at this kind of stuff than she was. "Um, hey…"

Sora still said nothing.

"Look, the least you can do is talk to me! Moping around here like a little prick isn't going to get you anywhere, so suck it up and let's talk about it!" she snapped. He was wasting her time.

Yet he still said nothing.

"Alright, that's it." She grabbed him by the shoulder. "Look at me, Sora!"

She shook him until he finally gave in and tilted his head up to hers. She froze, upon seeing a sight she never even dreamed of seeing from someone who always seemed so proud and strong every day. The boy—no, the man she had grown to know, who was always looking out for her and looking out for her best interest even though he always got on her last nerve.

It nearly tore her heart to shreds as she saw him in his most vulnerable state of mind, tears sliding down his pale cheeks as his eyes welted like an overflowing waterfall.

Kairi placed a hand on her chest. She couldn't bear to see him like that. Sora bit his lip and lowered his head in shame now that she saw him in his most exposed form. He must have looked so weak in her eyes now, and he hated it. But he couldn't help it.

"Oh, Sora…" Kairi said. She never experienced the feeling of losing someone that she cared about, so it was hard for her to understand his pain. She didn't mean to snap at him.

She sat down next to him and twiddled her thumbs, searching every corner of her mind to find the right words, anything at all would help.

"Hey," Kairi said, "don't worry, okay? We're going to find a cure for her and bring her back."

Sora hardly acknowledged her. He just kept to himself as he hugged his deceased sister tightly, letting the tears come as they please.

"It's going to be okay," she said as she rubbed his back. She looked ahead and saw land coming into view. Kairi hurried over to Amaya and shook her awake with her uninjured arm. "Hey, I think you might wanna get up to see this."

A bleary Amaya sat up gradually, squinting at Kairi. "Wha…? Oh, right…"

Amaya called over to her brother and ordered him to pilot his ship to a stop as they landed at the shore of a new town, she did the same.

"Ah, Traverse Town, it's been a while," Amaya said. She placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "We'll get her back, I promise."

Sora didn't acknowledge her either. Kairi was surprised. It made sense that Sora ignored her, but if he were cutting Amaya off as well then he must have been hurting a lot more than she originally thought.

The princess only wished she could do something to pull him away from such a dark aura. Amaya hopped out of the boat.

"Alright, wake up, sleepyheads! Nap time's over!"

Ven stirred in his sleep. "Amaya, can you like, shut the fuck up or something? I'm tired."

Amaya gasped. "Ven, you should not be using such language."

"I got him," Xigbar said dully, still recovering from such an abrupt disruption of sleep. He popped his little brother in the mouth, causing Ven to sit up immediately, giving Xigbar a scowl.

"What was that for?"

"For having such a god damn potty mouth, you little motherfucking shit. Now wake up! We gotta get moving."

Amaya rolled her eyes. "Geez, wonder where he got it from."

"Shut the _fuck _up, Amaya." Xigbar was not a fan of waking up.

Xigbar hopped out of the sailboat, nearly dragging himself as his eyes hung loosely on his face. He could definitely use more sleep.

Amaya sighed and let that jab from Xigbar go. It wouldn't be appropriate to give in to his stupidity at a time like this. "Alright, you guys, we're gonna get you to the nearby safe house, you should be alright there for a little while. Venny, could you get Haru up? And Xigbar, make sure you stop by the market and pick up something that can wrap up the princess's arm until we can get her a doctor."

Kairi stared at Sora. She couldn't keep her eyes off him. She couldn't stand seeing him so broken…

"S-Sora," Kairi started, but she didn't know how to proceed. What did she want to say to him? Where were the words? It was so easy talking to him when he wasn't brooding. She had no clue what to do to make him feel better.

"Kairi, just give him some space," Amaya whispered in her ear. "He'll be okay."

Kairi gave him one last look of concern before nodding.

"Xigbar is taking the kids to a third district. There's a a safe house there that Mom told us to go to if Radiant Garden ever became too dangerous of a place to live. Let's just say she became very paranoid after the first war at Radiant Garden. It might be best if you tagged along with them."

"Great. I have to be around the pirate all day," Kairi said. "Fine, it'll have to do."

Kairi gave Sora one last look.

"You're worried about him, huh?"

"I don't know," she excused, trying to look less obvious. "It just freaks me out to see him so… not himself like that. Try to knock some sense back into him for me."

"I'll do my best."

Kairi walked with Xigbar and the others as he led them to the safe house. Amaya sighed, barely able to believe how everything could turn so badly in just the matter of moments.

"Sora, I have enough spare change to get an elixir for her. That's the only thing I can think of that can cure her. My cure spell just doesn't reciprocate to death. So, did you want to tag along or would you rather stay here?"

Sora didn't respond. Amaya understood, patting him on the shoulder.

"I'll be sure to hurry."

She ran off. Sora only clutched his sister harder as he sat in the boat. One of his shed tears landed on Xion's cheek.

* * *

"Honey… sweetie, wake up."

All Terra could hear was his wife's sweet voice. It led him to his wake, as he jolted up from the nightmare of the previous night. His chest heaved in and out quickly as he tried to figure out where he was. A plain field of some sort, in the distance, grassy mountains filled the horizon.

He looked up to see Aqua giving him a soft smile. She was simply happy to see him conscious. A tall building with lofty spires protruding from the roof stood in the background. They were…

"Home," Terra choked out.

Aqua lent a hand and helped Terra to his feet. He gawked at the building, unable to believe his eyes. It was like a dream.

"Haven't been here in a while," he finally said. "How exactly did we get here? Last I remember was being engulfed by the Heartless back at Radiant Garden."

"If I hadn't saved you at the last moment, you wouldn't be here right now. I was able to turn my Keyblade into a glider and carry your big butt with me. I think a little bit of gratitude is in order," she teased.

He chuckled. "Please. As much as I'd like to entertain you, I've got my pride to think about."

She smiled, but it soon diminished into a frown. "Terra, I'm worried. What if the kids didn't make it out okay? And even if they did, God knows where they could be."

Terra followed suit with the sudden serious turn of their conversation. "Well, it's a good thing we're here then. Come on. Let's see what the Master's up to."

Terra took lead as they entered the tall building of which they used to come home. After ascending the steps that led to the main lobby, they noticed how it looked no different from their last time being there. Pillars all lined up as the large room led to three tall chairs. A figure sat before those three chairs, his legs crossed. He seemed to be meditating.

"Master Eraqus," Terra spoke up. "We've come back."

Eraqus placed both hands on his thighs, rotating his upper body as he saw his two prized pupils standing before him. They noticed him as well; he had aged quite a bit.

"Well," he spoke, his voice hoarse, "what a pleasant surprise. Although, I don't get unspoken visitors often." He stood up and tied his robe back up so that his exposed chest didn't deem the confrontation inappropriate. "Aqua… Terra… my students… it's been far too long."

Terra and Aqua shared a smile before giving their ex-master a hug.

"It's great to see you, Master!" Aqua said. "We've missed you."

"Aqua, Terra," he chuckled. "My, you two haven't aged a bit."

The two chuckled nervously, as they couldn't return the compliment to their wrinkled master.

"I know, I know," Eraqus said, seeing right through their discomfort. "I'm old, I get it."

Aqua soon turned serious. "Master, I wish we could catch up, I really do, but something terrible has happened and my kids… well, _our _kids, may be in danger."

"I see."

"We wanted to stop by and grab the old duds," Terra said. "We could use some of the perks."

"Help yourself. You know I'd never oppose you two."

They bowed in respect. "Thank you, Master," Aqua said. "Things have gotten really bad lately."

"Hm, well I know you two are in a rush, but maybe you could spare a few just to let me know what exactly is going on."

The married couple shared a look of concern. Terra shut his eyes before giving his former master focused eyes.

"It's Master Xehanort."

* * *

He wouldn't let go of her. He held onto her so tightly he began to leave finger prints on her pale skin.

He couldn't save her. He couldn't help her. He failed. He was a failure. He was a horrible big brother. His mom would be so disappointed. His father would have probably beaten him for being so irresponsible. He wasn't fit to be a brother—she deserved better. She deserved someone who would protect her and not fall short when she was in danger.

What good was he? He only abandoned her for weeks, leaving her all by herself with no one to look out for her well-being while he got himself far too comfortable in the palace. He could only be the worst brother in the world.

He clutched her harder as the tears kept coming. "Xion… I'm gonna get you through this. I'm gonna get you through this… fucking… **damn it**, I should have been there to save you!"

* * *

Master Xehanort had returned to his old form, though he didn't look as old as he used to. He remained bald, sported a white goatee, and had a hunchback, but retained enough youth to hold his own in combat. The old Master stood alone in the castle chapel.

Loud steps echoed throughout the empty space. He looked over to see Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness making his way over him with a smirk.

"Why are you here all by yourself, Xehanort?"

Xehanort took a moment to respond. "The tranquility of solitude helps me plan my next move."

Ansem rolled his eyes. Xehanort was always so overdramatic. "Well, sorry to intrude. So, nice redecoration with Claire's castle, huh? It's a lot bigger than before. Feels kinda empty, though."

"Hm, yes. A… Hollow Bastion, would be an appropriate title. The emptiness leaves plenty of room for darkness.

"Right," Ansem said, barely listening. "Just wanted to know what exactly this next move happens to be."

"Xemnas reported to me that he killed the Keyblade kid's sister."

"Yes," Ansem said. He already knew that, though.

"Don't you see? That kid is in the palm of our hands."

"But he's still alive."

Xehanort shook his head. "You fool. I never wanted him dead—I wanted him torn apart from the inside. Sora's heart is filled with rage. All I need to do now is make him one of my vessels."

"What will that do?"

Xehanort smirked. "How else do you think the X-blade will be forged?"

Ansem chuckled. "Your cunning never ceases to amaze. As for his sister, her death is beyond repair. There's nothing to be done, so there's nothing to be worried about. All that is left is bringing Sora here… where he will utilize his full potential." Xehanort began making his exit, with his arms behind his back.

"Send out the others to go and find Sora. Bring him back here, at once."

Ansem turned his head halfway. Unknown to Xehanort, he garnered a devilish grin and eyes wide with intentions unclear.

"Whatever you say, 'Master'."

* * *

**Hello, my lovely little bananas! (Yes. You are a banana. Deal with it.) **

**No but for real, the word banana has been stuck in my head all day for some reason. Meh. Go figure. **

**Sorry about the delay on this one, I wasn't even originally planning on updating this one as I was focused on getting another chapter out for another story of mine, but since I hit a wall with that one, I figured I'd get this one out of my hair. Tbh, it's been like 85% done for a couple weeks, I just forgot about it. **

**So, first of all, this story has 96 followers! Now isn't that awesome? This is literally the closest I've been to getting to the 3-digit mark in followers so I'm really excited! Hopefully, we can reach that 100 mark! So follow or I'll kill you in your sleep, I mean what are you talking about? You heard nothing! **

**But first and foremost, I have to thank all of you guys for following and especially for reviewing Rags To Riches! I have to be grateful to anyone who's still reading my blegh writing. Don't worry, it's still a work in progress. But yay for effort, amirite? **

**Responding to ISayJelloAgain: HELLO! (waves hands in the air frantically back at you) Thank you so so much for reviewing! And thank you so much for saying this is your #1 story, it truly means a lot that something I write could be someone's favorite. It's a special feeling and thank you so much for sticking around this long! **

**#bananasquad **

**PEACE AND LOVE!**


	20. The Aftermath Part II

Sora looked up to find Amaya and an unfamiliar woman in a pink dress with long brunette hair styled as a braid down her back making their way towards him. He picked up his deceased sister bridal style and stepped out of the boat and onto the concrete ground.

"Sora, this is my friend, Aerith," Amaya said. "She's like a nurse. She specializes in things like potions, ethers, and elixirs. She's here to assess the body to see if we can bring your sister back! Isn't that exciting?"

Aerith gave him a comforting smile. "Hello, Sora. Amaya speaks highly of you."

It took a moment for Sora to find words. "You can bring Xion back?"

"Most likely. Would you mind setting her down for a moment so that I can see what needs to be done to bring her back?"

Without a word, Sora gently laid his sister on the ground. Aerith got to her knees and examined the damage on the body by touching various areas from her stomach to her neck.

"I see…" Aerith said. "She was choked to death."

Sora and Amaya shared a look.

"How did you know that?" Amaya asked.

Aerith's eyes dropped a bit as she pressed gently against Xion's neck. "Because her trachea is nowhere to be found. Whoever did this to her must have had a grip far too strong. It's like… her trachea and epiglottises have been completed destroyed. Almost… nonexistent. But potions and elixirs can only recover wounded body parts, but if those body parts are so damaged that it's like that they're not even there anymore, there's not much I can do. Items don't repair parts; they only mend the wounded ones."

Sadness washed over the pair. Sora shut his eyes, as if trying to hold back the pain, before opening them with a furious glint in his gaze.

Aerith stood to her feet, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry… but I'm afraid that there isn't anything I can do."

"What do you mean you can't do anything?!" Sora asked as shoved Aerith back. "I thought you were some kind of expert at this shit! Now you're gonna sit here and tell me that you're fucking useless?!"

Amaya was struck with fear at Sora's sudden spurt of rage. "S-Sora, stop!"

"B-Believe me," Aerith stuttered, "I wish there was more I could do, really, but—"

Sora shoved her against the wall of a nearby house and grasped her throat with both hands, not once hesitating to squeeze as hard as he could. "Shut up! Stop making excuses! Stop lying to me! Fix my sister and bring her back, damn it!"

Aerith could hardly breathe, but she didn't fail to notice the tears leaking from his eyes as he choked the life out of her.

"Bring my sister back! Bring her back! Bring her back, damn it! Bring her back! Bring her back!"

Amaya tried pulling Sora away, but his anger fueled his strength. He didn't give in.

"Sora, stop it! Aerith isn't the one who killed Xion! Right now, you're acting no better than Xemnas!"

Those words triggered something in him, and almost as if he was brought back to life, Sora realized what he was doing and quickly released Aerith. The young woman held onto her neck as she hyperventilated.

"Oh my god, what did I just do?! What the hell is wrong with me?!" Sora grabbed his head and backed up. He leveled himself with Aerith and wrapped his arms around her as she coughed the feeling back into her lungs. His angry tears turned into vulnerable streams of sorrow. "I'm so sorry! Oh my god, I'm so, so, sorry! I didn't mean to! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

His voice began to crack as he held onto Aerith tightly, shutting his eyes to try and suppress the memory of what he just did.

After finally regaining her voice, Aerith patted Sora on the arms. "I-It's okay… I can't imagine how hard this whole thing must be for you. If I could do something I really would, but the only thing I can think of is finding a donor. But the chances of ever accomplishing that are slim."

Sora sniffled, letting the tears have their way with him yet again as his hold on Aerith grew weaker. "This is all my fault…"

After a few minutes of being comforted by Amaya and Aerith, Sora finally found the strength to stand up. He wiped his bloodshot eyes and glanced over at Xion's body a few feet away from them. He quickly looked away.

"Sora," said Aerith, "there's a funeral home nearby. Would you like me to take her there?"

Taking in a trembling breath, Sora looked at Aerith. "Y-Yeah. I'd appreciate it."

"We'll give her the service I'm sure she deserves once all of this mess with Master Xehanort blows over."

_Sora! _

Sora nodded. "Okay."

He clenched his fists.

* * *

Naminé felt weak when she regained consciousness. Using the little bit of strength she had left, she lifted herself up onto her hands and knees. Looking over into the distance, a peaceful orange sky peeked over the horizon. The sun's last morsel of radiance penetrated through the ginger clouds and shone brightly on a humble town.

She didn't fail to realize how high up she was. Roxas sat quietly, his legs dangling over the edge from where he was sitting. Naminé sat next to him and offered a tired smile.

"Hey," Roxas simply said, returning the favor with a grin of his own. He had an ice cream stick in his hand. "I would have got you one but you were so busy being unconscious that it would have melted."

"Because you're so generous," she rolled her eyes with a smile. "Where are we?"

"Twilight Town," Roxas said, staring out into the sky. "After I left Radiant Garden to train, I found this place and met this friend of mine, Axel. We'd come up here to this clock tower all the time and eat ice cream together… until he left for Radiant Garden." A sudden rush of depression hit him when he realized that after the events from last night, Axel was most likely dead. The town was completely overrun by Heartless.

Naminé rubbed her temple, trying to suppress a migraine. "What happened, Roxas? The last thing I remember, I was in the backyard of the palace when those… those guys in black came."

Roxas looked into her eyes before turning to the sunset. "Hmph."

_Last night…_

Claire and Hope kicked down the door to the backyard and found Riku, Merlin, Naminé, and Serah waiting for them by the mini-gates where their carriage and a few horses were.

"Thank goodness," Merlin said. "If it hadn't been for my magic, we wouldn't have been able to get out of that blasted castle alive!"

"Everybody, into the carriage!" Hope demanded. "We don't have much time!"

Xehanort and his band of misfits burst onto the scene with their weapons ready.

"Leaving so soon?" Xehanort asked.

The battlefield was set. Claire got out her Keyblade.

"You're not getting anywhere near my family!"

She charged towards Master Xehanort and lunged at him, but Xehanort simply knocked her Keyblade out of her hands and grabbed her by the arms.

He smirked at her struggling. "It's no use, Claire. My strength has had a lot of development since our last encounter. I'll admit, last time you beat me, but now I have the upper hand." He held Claire by the throat and turned her around. "And now you'll watch helplessly as all of your friends and families die right in front of you, while you can't do a thing about it."

Claire struggled, but his grip was tight.

"Seize them!" Xehanort demanded. His allies, as well as a new batch of Heartless, charged towards the others.

Ansem attempted to hit Serah with a blast of dark firaga, but Riku tackled her out of the way. "Watch out!"

Naminé picked up the hem of her dress and hurried to get away from the danger, but she ended up tripping over herself and crashed into the dirt. Xaldin landed before her and kicked her in the gut before she could react. The kick was hard enough to knock her unconscious.

Merlin courageously casted numerous spells to combat against their offense, but in the end, Xaldin merely transported behind Merlin and stabbed him in the back.

"No! Father!" Claire cried as blood gurgled from her father's mouth, dropping to his knees as his life-force leaked out of his back.

Serah screamed. Riku was awed as well, but at the last second he was able to notice another dark firaga darting towards them. He shoved Serah out of the way and flipped back to dodge the attack.

Man, if only he had a Keyblade like Sora, he'd be able to protect the rest of them. Ansem seemed bent on attacking Riku as he glided towards him with a malicious grin. Riku did his best to dodge all of Ansem's attempts.

Hope fended off some of the Heartless with his sword, but in the end, it left him distracted. When he wasn't looking, Saïx came crashing down with his Claymore, knocking Hope in the back.

"No!" Claire said, still struggling to get out of Xehanort's hold. "You stay away from my husband!" They already had gotten her father; they could have at least spared Hope.

Xehanort smirked. "Do it."

Saïx nodded. "As you wish." He lifted his Claymore and swung it down on Hope's back. The impact was so hard that one could hear his spine fracturing into pieces. Already bloodied, Saïx continued bashing his weapon on Hope. He went into his Berserk mode and didn't relent, despite the blood decorating his blade. He continued to pound on him, mercilessly, as if he had a true bone to pick with him.

Claire watched with tears as she witnessed Saïx brutally killing her husband.

"STOP IT! THAT'S ENOUGH!" she cried.

"Alright, that's enough out of you," Xehanort said, chopping her on the back of the head. She was knocked out immediately. He hung Claire over her shoulder. "Saïx, you're overdoing it again."

Saïx was still bashing Hope's disfigured body. He only halted on Xehanort's command.

Riku and Serah were still dodging Ansem's attacks. Riku dragged her along as they ran. Ansem cackled, having way too much fun nearly hitting them with his dark powers. The pair was able to narrowly escape death by dodging the bolts of firaga being chucked at them. Riku picked up Serah bridal style mid-run and skid into a nearby shed.

Ansem landed on the ground. Riku and Serah were nowhere in his sight, since the shed was quite dark, but he knew they were there. Chortling, he said, "Not the best hiding spot, boy."

With a thrust of his hand, he shot out another blast of dark firaga. He was caught off guard when the blast came back out of the shed and hit him directly in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Riku walked out of the shed holding a broken mirror. He had deflected the blast with it. "Well, there's seven years of bad luck for ya."

He tossed the mirror aside and hopped over the fence that led to the palace gates.

Saïx noticed Riku and Serah hurrying to leap over the palace gates. "They're escaping!"

"Leave them," Xehanort said. "They're no threat. They don't even have weapons or magic. They're powerless to do anything remotely harmful to us, so what good is it to waste our energy killing them? Let them go."

Ansem walked up to the rest of the group, dusting himself off. "That's almost kind of you."

"What about the maid?" Xaldin asked, referring to the unconscious Naminé.

"Hm, I suppose we could add _one_ more body to the graveyard," Xehanort smirked. "Saïx," he said, tossing Claire's cataleptic body to him. "Take Claire into the dungeon and lock her up."

"Why not just kill her?"

"As much as I want to, we need something to bait those fools to come back, and when they do return, we'll take part in the Keyblade War and finish them. As for the maid, she's of no use to us. Dispose of her."

Xemnas walked up behind Xehanort, holding the now deceased body of Flame, Claire's pet tigress. He dropped her carelessly. "Oh, so we spare the guy who just outsmarted Ansem and got away from us, but we kill the unconscious maid who got knocked out like ten seconds into the battle? Makes sense."

Xehanort shrugged. "I'm not feeling as generous for such a lowly peasant."

Xaldin prepared his lances to penetrate Naminé, but then he was hit by an orb of light.

Xehanort watched as a hooded man cloaked in a jacket that looked identically to theirs appear before them with two Keyblades, the Oathkeeper and the Oblivion. From Xehanort's point of view, it looked to be the same soldier from the Sabre Mountains. "You again?!"

Roxas ran towards Xaldin and delivered some quick combos, making him recoil slightly to hold his chest. Roxas picked up Naminé and ran off while blasting shots to keep the enemies away with his Oblivion Keyblade.

_Now…_

"I was trying to keep the Heartless situation in the town at least a little calm, but it was no use. So, I decided to head to the palace to see how you were doing and, thank God, I came in at just the right time. You would have been a goner if I was a second late."

"But King Hope… Merlin… i-it has to be some kind of mistake!"

Roxas shook his head. "I wasn't there to see what happened, but all I know is that they were already dead once I got there. I don't know what they did with the queen, but I'm gonna have to go back there and find out." Roxas stood up to his feet.

"Are you crazy? There's no way I'm letting you go back there! They killed the king!"

He scrunched his eyebrows slightly. "I wasn't exactly asking for your permission. I got a bone to pick with Xehanort. He's been on a tear lately, just killing anything in sight. Somebody has to stop him."

"But whoever said you have to do it alone?" Naminé asked, standing up and looking at her lover straight in the eyes with no sign of intimidation. "You don't have to go and risk your own life. I'm sick of you always disappearing and trying to act like some badass archetype. I want the old Roxas back, the one who wasn't so prideful that he couldn't be bothered to ask others for help!"

"But this is _my _fight, Nam! _I'm _the one who wants revenge. He killed _my _father. And if anybody is going to kill this bastard, it's going to be me. Nobody else."

Naminé didn't say anything. She just sighed and looked away. After a few moments, she went into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Don't you recognize it? It's the letter you left me after we slept together in Kairi's bed. You said such wonderful things to me, and I loved every word of it. But then, when you say stupid shit like planning on facing Xehanort alone even though he has a team powerful enough to easily put you out of your misery, it makes this letter feel worthless." She glared at him. "And it shows just how selfish you've become."

Roxas was about to respond, but he stopped. He turned around, not being able to look at Naminé without feeling guilty. "You're right… it's just…"

Naminé's anger shifted to a soft smile. It seemed she was finally talking a little bit of sense into him. "Listen, I know you're angry at Xehanort. You have every right to be—he killed your father, Ventus, back in the war all those years ago. Anyone would be furious, but you're letting your rage get the best of you."

"Then what should I do?"

"First, we have to round up a team."

"A team?" Roxas asked, scoffing as he turned around to face her again. "Who would we recruit?"

"Well, I think Sora would be a pretty good addition."

He scoffed. "Sora. What's the big fucking deal about that goofball anyway?"

Naminé slapped him on his arm. "Don't speak of him like that. Whether you want to admit or not, I think if anything, he's the one who can take down Xehanort."

Roxas gaped at her. "He's barely average at using his Keyblade, but I'm Keyblade master material. Yet you think _he _has a better chance at defeating Xehanort?"

"That's not what I meant—ugh, you're so difficult sometimes."

Roxas shook his head, clenching his fists. He sighed and placed a hand on his hip, looking to the sky for answers. "A team, right? Fine. We'll make a team."

Naminé smirked. She loved being a conversational manipulator. She walked up to Roxas and kissed him on the cheek.

"That's what I like to hear."

Naminé ripped up Roxas's letter and tossed it into the distance, watching as the pieces fluttered away. Roxas was wide-eyed with shock.

"Why'd you do that, Nam? I thought you cherished that thing!"

She nodded. "I do." She pointed to her head. "And it's all up here."

* * *

**Wassup, bananas? Updated this one pretty fast, huh? It's another shorter one, I know. Hopefully, next chapter will be longer and progress the story more. I already know how most of the story is going to pan out until the end, so until I'm able to fully recover, expect faster updates! (as long as I don't procrastinate). This chapters actually would have been out a few days earlier but I had a few appointments this past week.**

**Guys, I'm getting to that point again. That dark, dark point where I'm starting to lose a lot of inspiration for this story. This seems to happen every time I reach the twenties in chapters, I just start to not care about the story anymore and almost want to give it up. But I'm going to try and finish this one! Maybe. I'll try. **

**What turns me off so much about this story is that it strung away from its original intention when I first started it, literally like almost exactly a year ago.**

**Gah, it's such a shame too. I've never written anything like this before so there's quite a lot about it I would definitely change if I could go back, but it's far too late for that now. Originally, I wasn't even planning for this story to be some huge adventure saga with a complex plot that even I'm having trouble keeping up with these days. I pulled a KH2 on you guys! The only difference is that KH2 is undeniably awesome.**

**My original intent for this story was to just have a peasant with balls of steel, who didn't take shit from a conceited princess and let their relationship develop as the princess learns how the real world works beyond her tiny, tiny view of what she believed what the world was. That plot is still buried deep in here somewhere, but it's totally lost touch as the focal point by now, which really really stinks for me. This was supposed to be strictly romance with maybe a few action elements here and there, but this one review I got very early on kinda got to me, saying that there wasn't enough action happening so I ended up making a more action-y chapter after that and the story just sorta slowly started turning into, well, this. Now there's no going back. **

**Sorry for all my complaining, I just want to let you guys know just in case the updates slowly begin to stop. But who knows? Maybe if I keep at it, I'll get a bunch of inspiration and finish this story off as epically as it can epically can end (and yes, I know those aren't words.) But as of right now, I just want to get this story over with. **

**But otherwise, if you really want me to keep going with this story and stay motivated, please leave a review! They always help me find the willpower to keep going! **

**To Guest #1: Ah, I'm glad you liked to see how Sora reacted to Xion's death, but hey, what'd you think about how he acted in this chapter? ;) **

**To Guest #2: Thanks for your review! Here's chapter 20 for ya! :***

**To Guest #3: Guest what? There's more! Yay! **

**To ISayJelloAgain: Aww I freaking love you! :D Your reviews make me smile! AHHH and happy belated birthday! Yes, I noticed you and I'm sorry I didn't before, you've been leaving me reviews for a while now but I just always forget to respond to the unregistered reviews because I PM all of my registered reviewers just to personally thank them, so sorry about that. ~Yes, you can have your potato friend as long as I approve ;) Lol jk But you are so awesome! How come you can't get an account, if you don't mind me asking? You seem like you would be such a cool person! #thestruggleisreal**

**Thanks for reading! **


	21. Traverse Town

Donald, Goofy, and Pluto crashed into the ground hard. The duck held a star shard, a device capable of transporting users to any location they desire just by thinking. Unfortunately, their king never prompted them on how to use it sufficiently, and they ended up being tossed across the sky like a pinball until face planting the concrete.

Donald and Goofy were both clad in their combat attire, Donald's being blue with numerous pouches and zippers, with Goofy having on a similar outfit, only being green.

"Gawrsh…" Goofy said with a slight yawn.

Donald kicked the star shard. "Aw, phooey! Who invented this trash anyway?!"

Goofy helped himself to his feet as he rubbed his head. "Welp… at least we're here. Just a little bit of a bumpy trip, huh?"

Donald adjusted his hat. He never understood how his partner could remain so cheerful. "Yeah, yeah… come on! We don't have time to waste, we gotta find that key."

As Donald and Goofy set forth on their path, Pluto took an unexpected detour. Goofy noticed this and scratched his head. "Uh, Donald, I betcha that—"

"Ah, whaddyou know, ya big palooka?" Donald said, waving his head as he continued towards the third district.

Goofy took a minute to ponder. "What _do_ I know?" One thing he knew was that it was a strange idea to bring a dog along for the adventure. What exactly did they expect him to do? Fight the heartless along with them? Whatever. "Come on, Pluto!"

Though, Pluto didn't listen.

* * *

This was embarrassing.

Claire felt ridiculous to be held captive in her own dungeon, shackled by her wrists, as she sat there completely defenseless. Her skin was moist, her clothes damp, and her body ached. Her pink hair was a loose and untangled mess. Her eyes were bloodshot from the endless nights of crying.

It was hard to believe that both her beloved father and husband were actually dead.

But Master Xehanort made sure she would come to believe it and let it sink in, with what had to be the cruelest way. Just to screw with her, he left both of their dead bodies in the dungeon alongside her. Hope was drenched in his own blood, his skull indented and bashed from the wrath of Saïx. His lifeless, yet wide eyes stared at her from the corner. It reminded her how much she failed to protect the ones she loved the most. To make matters worse, she had no idea where Sora and Kairi were.

Having her father and Flame's dead carcasses lying right next to her didn't do her any better. Master Xehanort refused to kill her just yet. He intended to make her suffer, both physically and emotionally. He was succeeding.

"So, you're just going to give up?" asked a familiar, smooth voice. "Just like that, huh?"

Claire didn't move an inch. She didn't have to. She could recognize the sound of her own voice any day. "Oh, it's you. I was wondering what happened to you."

Lightning stood in front of Claire, her arms crossed in shame and disappointment. "You're pathetic. Instead of sitting here moping like a puppy dog that lost their owner, how about you get off your ass and go kill that man for what he's done to you. To _us…"_

Claire lifted her head and scowled at the hallucination. "Gladly. Why don't you go and snatch that key from Xehanort and unlock these chains for me, why don't you? Oh, that's right. You're not real."

"Oh, I'm very real, Claire. I'm deep within your subconscious, but you just won't let me out." She scoffed. "Don't you understand? Father is dead. Hope is dead. Do you hear me?! They're dead! And even still, you won't let me out and do what I do best. But _we _do best! Why?!"

Claire took a deep breath. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't know what I'd do if I gave into my anger…" She looked at Hope, and at a glance, tears slipped from her eyes. "And I don't want… to live in anger…" She sniffed. "Hope wouldn't want that…"

Lightning kept a steady glare on Claire. "It's not about giving in to your anger, you idiot. It's about finding balance, but you refuse to accept that because you're too much of a coward to let yourself go. I'm embarrassed to say that I'm you, right now. I can barely stand the sight of you. Look at you! Crying about how miserable your life is. Well, guess what? The Claire that I know uses the moments that hurt her to make herself stronger! Instead you only relapse no matter how much I talk you out of it. Instead of moving on and picking yourself back up, you choose to stay down."

Lightning kicked some dirt at her, forcing Claire to cough in between her sobs.

"Face it, Claire, you're weak. You're pathetic."

"What do you want me to do?!" Claire yelled, her now angry tears flowing even faster than before. "I can't even summon my Keyblade, you fool! If you're so smart, how about _you _come up with something and get me the hell out of here!"

Lightning shrugged. "Fine. Let me out, then. Stop holding me back. Get rid of that sweet, innocent Claire façade and become Lightning again… and I promise that we'll be out of here."

Claire sniffed. "I-I…"

"Stop being scared. And stop crying, for goodness sake! It's not a good look on you. I should know, because, well, I'm you."

Claire chuckled darkly. "I'm not so sure about that, anymore."

Lightning ignored her remark as she walked over to Merlin's dead body. "Dad…" She looked over to see Hope. She knelt down and rubbed his back. "My love… I'm sorry I couldn't save you…"

"It's a little emotional for you, isn't it?!" Claire yelled at her.

Lightning remained collected as she rose to her feet. "True, it is. I can admit that. However, it's also motivation. Because whether you like it or not, Claire, mark my words, I _will _make an impact. I _will _do what it is you're scared to do. What you're afraid of giving into." Lightning cast a blank stare at the incarcerated Claire. "I _will _kill Xehanort."

Lightning took a few deep breaths. Her veins began to pop and her started to turn red. She punched the wall as hard as she could.

"I swear on my life, I'll kill Xehanort!"

Speaking of the devil, in what was probably the most literal interpretation of that phrase; Claire heard the door creak open, followed by loud, echoing footsteps thumping against the stairs.

Xehanort had his arms behind his back and a malicious smirk smeared over his lips. "Good evening, Claire."

Claire shot him a glare etched with daggers.

"I do hope that your late husband and father are keeping you company."

Claire hated everything about him. She hated being stuck under his triumphant, smoldering gaze. She hated his cocky sneer. She hated the way he walked, as if he hadn't a thing in the world to worry about. She hated his voice, how it was wreaked of condescension.

"What do you want?" she asked through her clinched teeth.

Master Xehanort pulled up a chair and sat before her, clasping his hands as if in deep thought. "I want you to tell me everything you know about that young boy, Sora."

She raised an eyebrow. "Not sure what you want me to say."

"Let's start with something easy. For starters, you could tell where he is and how I can find him."

She shifted her eyes to the side. "Funny, I honestly don't know where he is. And even if I did, like hell I'd tell you. But I do know that he will be the one who'll put you to rest. I assure you that."

"Is that so?" Xehanort lightly tapped his foot. "I find that rather amusing."

Claire cringed at his raspy tone. "Why do you ask?"

He chuckled. "I thought it would be obvious. The original plan was to kill your daughter and send Sora's heart into a fit of rage, blossoming his deepest darkness."

"You killed my daughter?!" Claire felt herself edging closer to Lightning's hold. "You sick, scumbag, worthless son of a—"

"Calm down. Unfortunately, for us, somehow your precious princess escaped. She's still out there, we just don't know where."

Claire sighed and settled back down. "Thank God…"

"But don't get your hopes up. We _will _find her. And we _will _kill her, right before your very eyes. Make no mistake about that. But in the stead of Kairi, we got the next best thing… his sister."

Her jaw dropped. "You killed her? Why?"

With a malicious smirk, Xehanort leaned back into his chair. "We had the same intent," he said casually. "We wanted to fill Sora's heart full of ire, fury, and darkness. If everything went accordingly, the boy should be mourning in grief, furious with himself that he couldn't be there to protect the one he loved the most. But that fool, Xemnas, ran away like the useless imbecile he really is. Now we don't know where he is or what he's doing. But when we find him, he will be ours. He'll make a great addition. With that Keyblade of his, he'd make a fine vessel, indeed."

"But why him? Why not anyone else? Why Sora in particular?"

"Why not?" he argued calmly. "I have to give that moron you called a father some credit—"

"Don't you dare speak of my father in that tongue!"

He gave her a dull stare. "Anyway, that moron you called a father _did_ create one of the mightiest weapons of them all, and since fate had it, it chose Sora. Now, he'll bear the consequences. Remember the monks from the Land of the Dragons? The prophecy stated that one day, a daughter along the Estheim bloodline would have a protector who would wield the legendary Kingdom Key, and that he would have what it takes to stop the X-Blade's forging. It makes sense, since the same thing happened twice before under other prestigious dynasties. But think of what power I'd have if he was under my control? Now that is an interesting thought…" He gently rubbed his chin.

Claire's lips closed into a smirk of her own. "I see… it all makes sense now. You try to act like you're big and tough like nothing fazes you, but you're scared of him."

Xehanort legitimately laughed. "I didn't know you had quite the sense of humor."

Claire rolled her eyes. "You admitted it yourself. If their prophecy proves to be true, Sora is destined for greatness. But you want him for yourself because you're afraid of his potential. Aren't you? You don't want him to stop you. You're scared that he's gonna beat you senseless! And he will, just you wait."

Xehanort sighed. "He's a child. What could possibly make you think he has an ounce of a chance against me? Despite all the absurdity in your feeble hypothesis, you did get one thing correct. I do admire his potential. He possesses latent strength, in which I plan to demonstrate for my own benefit. Why wouldn't I want a secret talent amongst my empire? What better way to kill your precious light with someone you thought would be your own?

"Oh, but the fun twist of it all, is that now Sora remains out there, weak and vulnerable on the account of a lost loved one. How easy it will be to capture him and take advantage of that darkness flourishing profusely in his heart. What you 'heroes of light' fail to understand is that we, who bathe in darkness, are the ultimate opportunists. It's a little thing us adults like to call, striking while the iron is hot, my dear." He flashed a crooked grin.

All Claire could do was watch helplessly. She tried struggling out of her shackles, hoping that somehow her bare strength would get her out of this, but it was an insignificant effort. "I swear to god, Sora is going to come here and rescue me! And when that happens, I'll kill you! I'm gonna cut your bloody head off!"

"Well, this conversation led us nowhere." He rose from his chair. "Looking at you suffer in here alone is almost as good as it would be to kill you, and watch as I extract the life right out of you… but I need to give Sora and his pitiful friends an incentive to come back. I should have thought this out more clearly, I can admit that. But your death is inevitable either way. Good night, my dear."

And within moments, with a click of the doors lock, she was alone once again.

* * *

Amaya took the lead as Sora kept his distance a few feet away from her, his head hanging low. Traverse Town was a quant area. Looking around, Sora noticed how different it was from Radiant Garden. It was the first time he had ever been outside of the city.

They walked along the brown cobbled pathways. The sky was glittered in sparkles, adding to the magnificent neon colors that brought many banners and billboards alive. They dazzled on the many hotels and shops lining up on parallel ends of the street.

The town was quiet, but it still had a decent amount of citizens strolling around. The scenery was flashy, yet easygoing. The people were a direct reflection of that. Nobody seemed over the top and spiteful, everyone seemed relaxed and steady. It was definitely refreshing when compared to the harsh, clustered streets of Radiant Garden.

They left the funeral home ten minutes before with instructions from Aerith.

"_Don't worry, Sora," Aerith said with a sympathetic smile. "She's in good hands now. We'll take good care of her." _

_Sora nodded sluggishly. He kept his half-lidded eyes on the ground below. _

"_Thank you so much for all your help, Aerith," Amaya said. "We really appreciate it. Unfortunately, it looks like we'll be stuck out here for the time being." _

_Aerith nodded. "I'm just glad you made it safe out of Radiant Garden."_

"_Me too," Amaya agreed. "It was a miracle."_

"_Word about what happened back there is spreading fast, but we don't know what's going to happen next. We all know Xehanort has a tendency to spread his influence over many different regions. I've a bad feeling that Radiant Garden was just the first of many similar cases." _

_Amaya sighed and turned to Sora. "You know, we're going to have to go back there eventually."_

"_That seems a bit dangerous, don't you think?" Aerith asked. _

"_It's not like there's Keyblade wielders running around wily nilly or anything. I feel like we don't have much of a choice."_

_Aerith smiled. "Well, I believe in you, Amaya. If it's transportation you need, you can head to the Accessory shop in the first district. You know your way around here, don't you, Amaya? It should lead right next to Seventh Heaven. Mr. Highwind should be able to assist you on getting something worked out. Tell him I sent you." She giggled. "My daughter, Aeris, she'll be there, too." _

"_Thanks a ton!" Amaya cheered. _

The two of them didn't say any more than two words to one another for the entire trip. Amaya could not find the proper words but she could feel his silent scorn. She figured that words wouldn't really work at a moment like this, but she hated the silence.

"Hey," Amaya said. "I know it may not mean much but… I'm really, really sorry, Sora."

"You can save your pity, you know?" he spat.

She cringed at his tone. "I-I know, but…" Amaya stopped, prompting Sora to, as well. She tensed up her shoulder and held back from what her heart was telling her to do. In the end, she gave in, quickly shifting around and trapping Sora into a hug.

Sora was caught off guard for a moment and kept his arms to his side. After breaking free from the moment, he looked to Amaya with a ghost of gratitude.

"I know how you feel," Amaya said, "and I know it's hard… but, things will get better. But we can't take on Xehanort with your head in the gutter either, so… please, try to get better. Think about all the things about Xion that made you smile."

Her smile made him smile.

Sora gently pushed Amaya back and offered a sad, but gradually improving smile. "I'll deal," he said.

Amaya returned the sad smile and sighed. "Glad I got that off my chest."

They pressed on, this time, side-by-side, like friends should be.

"So," Sora said. "You seem to know your way around here. Been here before?"

"Yeah. I didn't always live in the Garden. I'm an orphan, remember? When I was about four years old, I'd be running around this town all by myself."

"That's another thing we have in common," Sora said. "But you seemed a lot younger than I was when Xion and I went rogue."

Amaya nodded. "That was during the war, so you know there were Heartless lurking around. I almost died that day… if Mom hadn't saved me. I remember I was so scared, I couldn't help but touch her Keyblade. Made me feel safe, you know? That's when she decided to adopt me."

They stopped before the Accessory shop.

"Oh, we're here!" Amaya said. They entered to find a woman bent over as she wiped the counter with a wet cloth. She turned around with slight surprise at the unfamiliar customers.

"Hello!" she chirped. Squinting a bit, she noticed the young mage. "Wait, Amaya, is that you?"

Amaya gasped. "Oh my god, Tifa?"

The two ladies shared a belated embrace. Sora gulped, suddenly feeling small under the lovely gaze of such an attractive woman. Long, dark brown hair fell below her waist with the ends tied into a dolphin-tail split. She wore a white tank top that exposed her midriff and a black miniskirt with suspenders. She donned black and red gloves that reached her elbows and red boots.

"It's been way too long!" Tifa said. "I'm so happy to see you! And look at you, all grown up. Aren't you adorable?" Tifa pinched her cheek.

"Cut it out, Tifa! I'm seventeen years old now!"

"Seventeen?!" Tifa laughed as she groped Amaya's breasts. "Oh, I see now! These weren't there the last time I saw ya! Good job!"

"_Tifaaa!_" Amaya whined as she covered herself, a subtle blush glowing on her cheeks.

Tifa only pat her on the back, a little too roughly for Amaya's taste. "Oh, you kids and your puberty…" She looked over at Sora and caught him quickly looking to the side, rubbing the back of his head trying to be discreet. Smirking, she asked, "Who's your friend?"

"Oh," Amaya said. "This is Sora. I'm supposed to be training him in the art of magic."

Tifa held out a hand to him. "Hi! I'm Tifa Lockhart. But you can just call me Tifa."

Sora cleared his throat as he shook her hand. "I'm Huge Tits, I-I-I mean, Sora!"

Giving him a weird, but amused look, she turned back to Amaya. "He's cute. New boyfriend already?"

Amaya shook her head quickly. "No, no, no! Actually, we need a favor. We're kinda stuck out here and we need something that can help get us from area to area. We have some boats but they're not gonna cut it. Aerith sent us."

"Makes sense," Tifa mused, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Well, looks like you guys came to the right place! Follow." There was a door right behind them that she led them through. It was like entering an entirely new area as Sora and Amaya looked around at yet another bar.

It was a standard saloon in typical form. It had wooden walls and floors, ad the area was lit with a dim radiance. Many table and chairs were set up accordingly and Amaya couldn't help but notice the lonely pinball machine set up in the corner. An alcoholic stench was beginning to fade away.

"Did we miss the party?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, we closed up about fifteen ago."

A single man sat at the counter, chugging a bottle of whiskey. Sora's eyes widened at the sight of him.

"Cid?!"

The older man's ears perked from the sound of his own name and whirled around in his seat. He nearly dropped his bottle. "Sora?! What in the hell are you doin' here?!"

"I could ask you the same thing," Sora said, smirking as he crossed his arms.

Sora looked him up and down. He didn't look any different, not that it had really been that long since he last saw him. He wore a navy blue jacket over a dusty white shirt and dark green pants. He also had his signature goggles over his blond hair.

"Ended up gettin' fired from that shit job I had about three weeks ago," Cid said, taking a quick gulp of whiskey. "Not that I'm complainin', but I figured that Radiant Garden no longer needed my services. I decided I'd do what I always wanted to do… travel. Flew my baby, the Gummi Bronco all the way out, first stop would've been Agrabah, but I ended up crashin' her in this here town."

"That's when he met us," Tifa said. "We could use his help, since Cid's handy with equipment and other shit. He's not the easiest to get along with, but he'll do." She grinned.

"Watch it." Cid pointed a finger at her. "Anyway, yeah, these kiddies apparently can't name a damn air inlet from a power turbine. So I figured that the Great Cid, as I am, could lend 'em a hand."

Sora crossed his arms. "Oh, thanks for saying goodbye to me and Xion. Glad you let us know you were leaving."

"What am I, yer babysitter?"

"Kinda."

"Touché." Cid chugged the rest of the bottle. Sora was surprised the old man wasn't slurring his speech and tumbling over. He must have had a _really _high tolerance. "Anyway, what brings ya here? Where's Xion? I wanna give her a big ol' hug." Cid turned serious. "I, eh… I heard about what happened at Radiant Garden. I'm thankful ya made it out safe."

Sora paused and glanced at Amaya for a split second. "Um… Xion is somewhere else right now." Sora didn't want to break Cid the news just yet. "But, uh… the place is crawling with Heartless. As much as I hate to say it, we have to go back there and put a stop to Xehanort."

Tifa clenched a fist. "Xehanort…"

"You've heard of him?"

"He burned down my home village, Nibelheim, back during the first war. I got a bone to pick with him, too. And so does the rest of the team." Tifa gestured Sora and Amaya to follow as she stood next to the pinball machine.

"I'd best get back to post. Call me if you need anything," said Cid.

"Will do." Tifa pulled the switch, making the floor around the game machine descend like an elevator, much to the surprise of Sora and Amaya.

It led to a secret underground room. It was unorganized and unkempt with—many books and boxes were left discarded floor and there was a large table in the middle, a big screen TV, and a drawing board next to it.

Sitting on the couch was a man with spiky blond hair. Without a care in the world, he was clothed in indigo pants and a sleeveless shirt, brown boots, and a pauldron over his left shoulder. Sitting next to him was a girl that greatly resembled the woman from earlier, Aerith, who wore a pink dress that reached her ankles, a red bolero jacket, and brown boots.

In the corner, a heavy set but freakishly muscular dark-skinned man with a dirty brown vest, green pants, and brown boots punched his heart out onto the punching bag. His right arm looked like a variation of a gun and a fist.

"Meet our underground group, Cloud, Aeris, and Barret!" Tifa said. "They call us, AVALANCHE."

* * *

**I have returned... *rises from the dead* **

**I know, I know, it's been much too long since my last update. Please don't hit me! *cowers in fear* Although I'm sure you guys understand, because the Banana Squad is all about love and support! :D **

**Still, sorry for the long wait. It's just that I ended up losing inspiration for this fic like I predicted I would. But hey, at least it didn't take seven months, right? Yay for impending effort. Don't give me that look, I'm getting better!**

**So, first of all, as you may have noticed I reached 108 followers and 91 favs! O.O WHOOOAA! I just want thank all you guys so much for that! Milestone, completed! WOOO! That was always a mini goal of mine ever since I started out on this site but I used to think I couldn't do it... and now we're actually did it! I'm in the 100 club and I thank everyone for their support! **

**Mama, I made it! **

**Lol okay, shoutout to any of the Final Fantasy 7 fans out there! I am seriously looking forward to that remake omg. Anyone else excited for that shit? KH3... 2.8... FF7... *fangirl squeeaaakk* **

**And since I'm all hyped up for the FF7 Remake, I decided I'd go ahead and put in some of the original FF7 characters and add them to the cast! Cloud, Tifa, Cid, and Yuffie however, will not be based on their Kingdom Hearts personalities, they're going to be a lot similar to that of their FF7 characterizations. There are actually some distinct differences between the Final Fantasy characters in the KH universe and the FF universe.**

**And I know realistically it might take a bit longer to get out of his depressed slump, but he's not all the way over it. I just figured it would be kinda tedious to just read about Sora being angry and depressed for like six chapters. **

**Also, some story recommendations: **

**Out of Sight by Sinful Serenata, formerly known as SoraxKairi7. It's a collaboration fic between the both of us! It may seem like it has a different style at first, but I hope it's not too blegh. We'd really appreciate it if you guys checked that out! **

**Also check out Persona Hearts by Ken7700! It has an interesting premise and if you couldn't tell, it's inspired by the Persona series and he's been working really hard on this one, so go check it out! Leave a review, why don't ya? I'm sure he'd appreciate it! **

**Review Responses: **

**Guest: Lol yeah, this is kinda like the Avengers when you think about it! I can't wait to get them all together, it should be really fun. Look forward to it! **

**ISayJelloAgain: Helloo! I love your reviews! How are ya? Awww lol the greatest fan fic in the galaxy?! *blushes* D'aww, I wish that were true! Don't get mad at the villains for killing all those characters... get mad at me, because I made them do it. Muahahahaha! ****Plot twist: Palette is the actual evil mastermind behind everything (which is pretty accurate actually...I need an evil lair). And yeah, no problem! Honestly, if it weren't for you and your awesome reviews I probably wouldn't even remember responding to the guest reviews, so thank you! Getting reviews these days is tough so it means a lot more than people might think when I actually get some. And oh, well all you have to do is look for the sign up button and put in your email and stuff hehe and you don't really have to write a whole story just to be a member, there are lots of people who make accounts just to keep up with all of the fics they're reading and simply review most of the time. I just figured it'd be easier to talk to you then making responses on my chapters that are freakishly long... seriously, I need to stop rambling XD but it's up to you, of course and I'll just be glad to see you stick around either way. Thank you for the review as always! *returns the hug* **

**And once again, thanks to everyone for all the support this fic has gotten. It's officially my most successful fic so far and we're not even close to being done! And I don't like to think of you guys as readers, I wanna think of you guys more as friends, so to make this more interactive between us, we can have a topic for the end of each chapter! Just to make the Banana squad feel like an actual squad XD let's spread peace and love and get to know each other! **

**So tell me in a review, if you want to, how you feel about this whole situation with the Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer craze at D23! Are you mad? Are you sad? Do you not care that much? Are you ready to band together with pitchforks and raid Square Enix and NomaTroll? Let me know in a review! **

**I feel like my ANs add like an extra one thousand words... T.T**

**#bananasquad**


	22. Despair

Roxas stood before the old mansion, his hood over his head. It had been abandoned for years, according to Naminé. The large gate had a huge lock chained over the black, dusty steel. "Locked…?"

Before he could approach the gate, Armored Knight and Surveillance Robot Heartless began to take shape out of thin air. The Armored Knights dashed so quickly that their sharp feet trimmed the grass.

He unleashed his Oblivion and Oathkeeper Keyblades as he made haste towards the small horde fearlessly. "Outta my way!" He swiped them with quick and staccato sequences. Moving about at a nimble tempo, Roxas slashed his Keyblades in perfect rhythm.

One of the Surveillance Robots shot a sparkling blue laser at him, but he briskly jumped out of the way, tossing the Oathkeeper towards it, killing it in one shot.

Roxas turned around and shot spheres mixed with light and darkness at the oncoming Armored Knights. He spun around and impaled another.

The boy dodged a few more approaching knights as he dashed backwards, somersaulting backwards a little.

He picked up his Oathkeeper and guarded their blades with both Keyblades in unison, before finding an inch of breathing room to perform a spinning slash.

There were only a few stragglers left, as Roxas blasted at the stray Heartless with sharp blasts of his twilit power, hardly even trying. Once everything looked to be clear, he let out a sigh. He was hardly trying. One could almost say he was bored.

"Now, then…"

He turned around and let his hood fall back, revealing his smirk. One last Armored Knight sprinted after Roxas as his back was turned, its sword protected behind its back ready to deliver some damage, but Roxas heard its footsteps from a mile away and without even looking, blasted it one last time with his Oblivion Keyblade.

"Show off." Naminé walked out from the forest. "Thanks for letting me know the coast was clear."

"I was gonna." He chuckled. "So, this is the mansion you were talking about, huh?"

"Yep. Seems like a nice place for a secret base. It'd be a good hideout once we get everybody."

"This is kinda creepy, honestly." Roxas pointed his Oathkeeper at the lock as a beam of light zipped from the tip, unlocking the gate. "And what exactly is your definition of 'everybody'? So far, the only one we can think of is Sora."

"Don't worry, all the pieces will come into play! Just trust me."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a suspicious look. "Why do I have a hard time doing that right now?"

"Because you're still underestimating my intellect, as usual." She flipped her hair back as she opened the front door. She mockingly presented the inside to him. "Ladies first."

He scoffed. "I hate you."

As they entered the old mansion, a creepy silence became more present. Two staircases led to a short hallway above that led to two doors. A big glass window underneath the hall led to a backyard. Roxas couldn't help but notice the chopped up bushes and broken down statues back there. Not to mention how filthy this main foyer was to begin with.

"And you want to have a secret base here? How did you even know about this place?"

"Back in the day when Kairi would have to travel, she brought me along. When we were kids, we used to always come up here to this old mansion and pretend that there were monsters inside. Never actually went in though, until today."

"You're crazy. Who would ever want to hideout in this filth?" Roxas studied the dirt and dust littered across the tile floors.

"Don't be such a baby. Isn't it obvious? Xehanort would never expect it. Come on, let's go check upstairs." She began making her way towards the steps but noticed Roxas wasn't following. She turned around and spotted him shivering, thought slightly, with a tensed position. "Oh my god, seriously?"

"I just thought I heard something, that's all."

She chortled. "Don't tell me big, bad Roxas is scared of a wittle mansion."

"I'm not scared! You're scared!" he accused, crossing his arms trying to keep a somewhat proud posture, failing terribly so.

"Please. I got bigger things to worry about like Master Xehanort. Unlike you, I am fearless."

"Say, did ya mention somethin' about Master Xehanort?" said a high-pitched voice.

"AH!" Naminé yelped as she clung to Roxas.

"Who's there?" Roxas whipped out his Keyblades and got into an aggressive stance.

"Wow! Two Keyblades!" said the voice again. "Looks like ya came to the right place. Are you two lost?"

After noticing how friendly it sounded, they let go of each other and searched the room to find the source. "Um, no, but uh… where are you exactly?" Naminé asked.

"Down here!"

The couple looked down to find a short anthropomorphic mouse with a big smile, sending a wave their way.

"Oh… hello," said Naminé. "Sorry to intrude. Do you live here?"

"Nope. I'm here on super secret mission."

"Funny, so are we."

Roxas sat back and let them do the talking. His girlfriend seemed a bit more courteous than usual, but of course, she was most likely putting on a convincing front.

"Then maybe we were fated to meet." He extended his gloved hand. "I'm Mickey!"

Naminé had to bend over slightly just to shake his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Mickey. My name is Naminé."

Roxas crossed his arms, not exactly trusting Mickey. Despite how friendly he seemed, one could never be too sure. "Roxas."

"What are you two doin' all the way out here?"

"We wanted a place to hide so that we could use as a hideout to help out with the situation at Radiant Garden. You see, our home was taken by the darkness."

Mickey jumped in surprise. "Did you say Radiant Garden?"

"Yeah, why?" Roxas asked, somewhat defensively. Naminé sent him a quick glare that said 'be polite.' He rolled his eyes.

"Well, the king of Radiant Garden is an old friend of mine and he asked that I help find his daughter, the princess. But I was told that the place is pretty much in chaos right now thanks to Xehanort."

"Yes. We plan on going back there to put a stop to his tyranny. You wouldn't happen to think you might be able to be of some assistance, would you?"

"Of course I can! It's why I'm here! Come on!"

He led them up the stairs with a bounce in step. Naminé happily followed while Roxas dragged his feet behind them.

"You seem cheerful, Mickey," Roxas said. "A bit too cheerful…" he then grumbled under his breath, but it seemed as if the mouse didn't hear.

"Welp, I've learned that ya gotta just learn to keep smilin' and think about fixing the future rather than dwellin' on the past."

They entered what looked to be a library, though there was a big hole in the floor and a staircase that led downwards.

"Whoa, okay, wasn't expecting this," Roxas admitted.

"And thus, why you should always trust a woman's intuition," Naminé boasted.

They made their way down and entered another door, where they were greeted to a computer room. Awed by the equipment, Roxas and Naminé didn't even notice the man sitting at the large holographic computer at the far end until the last second.

"It looks like we got some folks that can help out!" Mickey announced.

The man, whose face was discarded under a multitude of red bandages, spun around in his chair with one piercing yellow eye peeking through. "Well, isn't this a surprise. I didn't expect guests." His voice was deep, low, and sophisticated. He a garnered a red robe. "I take it that you have business with Master Xehanort as well."

"Yeah, how did you know?" Naminé asked.

"I doubt you'd be here, otherwise. Destiny seems to pave the way for those who have a common goal."

"I'm Naminé. This is Roxas."

He nodded. "My name, with all due respect, must be under a strict classification at the moment. But for now, you can call me Diz."

* * *

The light of the fire highlighted Kairi's heart-shaped face. She poked at the burning wood with a stick, her eyes full of disinterest. Her broken arm was held into position by a bandage wrapped around her shoulder.

They traveled to a nearby warehouse in Traverse Town where Aqua apparently used to train back in the day. It was a completely wooden structure with many weakened pillars and columns holding the roof as steady as possible. The wood was chipped, old, and frail. They had to sit perfectly still so that they hopefully didn't get a splinter. The worst part of it was that she and her party hadn't heard a word from Sora or Amaya all day.

Kairi could not surmise as to why her heart ached at the thought of Sora. Though, she would never admit it to her temporary companions, she missed him dearly. In a bizarre twist of events, she had grown used to the way he would poke fun at her and laugh in the face of her supposed authority. It was nice to have someone who put her own an equal level as everyone else.

It was baffling, but the urge to find him grew stronger by the minute. God, when did she turn into such a sap? Compassion was unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

"Ven! Stop goofing around!" Xigbar yelled as Ventus kept singing obnoxiously about how hungry he was. The little boy leaned against one of the pillars that held this unsafe structure in place. Xigbar had a skillet he'd bought at a nearby marketplace hovered over the fire with some noodles boiling inside of it, also recently bought. "We're all hungry, Ven. But if you don't stop whining I'm going to starve you to death."

With a childish pout, Ven crossed his arms. "Because you're big brother of the year, right?"

Haru slept peacefully in the corner. Kairi played with Haru for as long as she could before the little girl finally tired out.

"This bites, man," said Xigbar. "It's been like three hours and we haven't heard a word from Sora or Amaya. How come we have to sit here and do nothing while they go out being all… cool and stuff? I need to get a Keyblade or something." With a sigh, he set the pot to the side. "Stupid Amaya, leaving me holding the bag," he then mumbled.

Kairi frowned. "Holding the bag? What's that supposed to mean?"

Xigbar chuckled nervously. "Oh… heh heh, you heard that, huh? Hey, did I mention you look absolutely ravishing this evening, Your Majesty?"

She rolled her eyes. What she needed was a break from these imbeciles. "Xigbar, give me any spare change you have." She stood up and placed her hand out, expecting him to comply.

"Um… okay. This is all I have left, though."

"Because I really care. Just give it here."

Grumbling to himself, he handed over fifty munny, leaving his pockets completely empty. "You could at least not be so bitchy about it," he mumbled.

"What was that?" She shot him a terrifying glare, causing him to smile nervously.

"Ahem, your hair looks wonderful today, your royalness."

"Hmph." She strutted for the door.

"H-Hey!" Xigbar said. "Where are you going, Your Majesty? The food's ready."

"Not hungry."

"Wha… well, where are going? And what do you plan on doing with my—"

Kairi slammed the door shut. She did not feel inclined to answer him. All she needed was fresh air and a little extra change to buy something at a nearby convenience store would at the very least give her a destination. Perhaps, a walk would clear her head.

Stepping out into the warm, welcoming streets of Traverse Town, Kairi pressed forward. There were only a few people out and about at this hour.

Still, how refreshing it was to be able to walk around freely without starting a horde bound by mesmerizing infatuation—sometimes genuine, sometimes not.

When she wasn't paying any attention, she tripped over something and nearly crashed into the ground if she wasn't caught by two firm, muscular arms that were still lean.

The mysterious owner of those arm chuckled. "Well, you look like a blue-eyed gem if I've ever seen one."

Kairi tried to find words, but they were all jumbled.

His dazzling smile sparkled with confidence. He had platinum-blonde hair as well as a goatee of the same color. At his side, there was a bottle of beer and his breath exuded alcohol, though he didn't seem out of the ordinary at the moment.

Kairi quickly stood back up and wiped the dust away from her clothes with her free arm. Without another word, she pressed on.

The nameless face smirked and continued to follow. "So, I sense a lack of gratitude for blockading your inevitable collapse? Very well. But might I suggest that a maiden of your resplendence deserves the most ostentatious regard amongst the mere mortals that surround us?"

Kairi stopped in her tracks. Many times before she had been approached by others, whether it was boys her age or men who could pass as her father—but it was a rare occasion that someone would compliment her in such an admirably elegant tongue. It reminded her how much her own speech had declined ever since she met Sora and hung around more regular civilians. She adapted to simplifying her once exceptional prose in language.

Not to mention, he had a way with words _plus _a British accent. The former princess hid her blush. "You seem very confident."

"Confident, you say? I prefer complacent. My life is a steady river flowing down the inevitable currents until death does me part from this world. So fairly so, it would only be right that if I lay my eyes on such an alluring, priceless ornament, I must to take the opportunity." He took her hand and gave it a peck, as he bowed to her at the same time. "A gem in the midst of such dull scenery is quite scarce."

Was it getting hot or was it just Kairi? She took note of his outfit; he wore a sleeveless black shirt, but judging from the ruffled outline, the sleeves looked as if they had been ripped. He had on jeans with a few slits and some black boots.

It only took her a few moments to familiarize herself with her former proper way of speaking. It wasn't like this was Sora and she didn't want to sound like a bumbling fool. "Well, it's been quite a while since I've met someone like you. Your manners and articulate attention to dialect is exemplary. But unfortunately for you, admirable or not, I do not have time to fritter away with someone of such a lowly status as a peasant. Good day and goodbye."

Stunned, the man watched as she strutted away confidently. But he smirked, knowing that perhaps this one would not be such an easy nut to crack—he liked games, and a little bit of back and forth never did him any harm.

He caught back up to her, much to the annoyance of the princess.

"The name's Luxord."

"And that name is of any consequence to me because…?"

"Because I am here to enlighten you. I take it that you're not from around here."

"What gave it away?"

"Finding people who can communicate elegantly is so far and few, and the way you walk simply percolates your outsider status. Maybe relax your shoulders a bit. You also referred to me as a peasant which makes believe you must be royalty from a distant region in disguise."

It wasn't like the princess cared much. As far as she was concerned, their stay there in Traverse Town was only a temporary circumstance.

"Wonderful deduction speech. Now will you leave me alone now?" She picked up the pace, but Luxord wouldn't relent.

"Would it be an inconvenience if I proposed a question about your wounded wing?"

Kairi looked down at her broken arm held in a sling and sighed. The memories of watching Xion die right before her very eyes came back in quick uncomfortable flashes.

She then remembered Sora and how his heart must have been suffering at the moment.

"Trust me, you would not believe me if I told you." She straightened up. "Why am I bothering with such a vagrant like you, anyhow? Listen here, Frog, I am not accustomed to making acquaintance with peasants. There's only one peasant who I can withstand enough for him to be at my side, and he shall forever be the only one! Don't test my patience, for once my time comes again, I will see that you are beheaded if you ever decide to wander about the walls of Radiant Garden. Good day."

She continued, but yet again Luxord followed. He seemed unaffected by her words. This was more irritating than having to deal with Sora. At least there was a level of unspoken respect between them, whereas with this Luxord character, he was a complete stranger.

"True, I may be a drifter, perhaps a scoundrel under a certain sun, but my honesty makes up for it."

Kairi would have slapped him in the face for his insistence, but lucky for him, she found him to be very attractive, too attractive for someone without a home.

"What do you want?" Kairi asked.

He smiled. "With the scraps of currency I have left in my pocket, I wish to take a young, blue-eyed cardinal out for a bite to eat. I must say, you're quite beautiful."

"I'm also sixteen."

He laughed. "I see. I suppose my age does call for suspicion, but I assure you that I ask this of you without any lustful intent. I am only a man who would like to get to know you. Your consent is always in my best interest."

Kairi took a moment to think about it. She was quite hungry and she had enough money to buy herself something, but his offer seemed promising. Not to mention, it would be nice to talk to someone who seemed to be on a higher plane of knowledge and he was handsome to boot.

"I had better not regret this."

* * *

Cloud was sunken into the sofa, his eyes shut uncaringly with his arms crossed. Sora sat down next to him.

"You look like a bucket of sunshine and rainbows," Sora droned sarcastically.

"The same could be said for yourself." Cloud stood up and leaned against the wall.

"Tifa," said Barret, his voice low yet strong. He swathed some of the sweat of his neck with his towel. "Now I 'nin told ya not to be bringin' no strangers down here without bein' sure that they're to be trusted. First you bring Spikes up in here all wily nilly, and now you bring me some band boy reject?" From the corner of his eye, he noticed Sora. "Get yo ass off that couch, boy!"

Sora snapped out of his reverie, and slowly made his way to his feet, before zoning back out into space again. The depressing thoughts of Xion swam through his mind. Amaya recognized this and stood before her friend protectively.

"You don't have to be so loud, you know."

Barret scoffed before walking over to get a quick drink. "We ain't got time for collectin' stray puppy dogs, Tifa. This is an important mission."

Tifa only rolled her eyes. "Relax, Barret, I know Amaya. She's an old friend of mine." She turned to Amaya with a somewhat embarrassed smile. "Don't mind him. He's just a bit grumpy." She then cupped a hand over Amaya's ear and whispered, "He just wants to be with his daughter, Marlene, but with the Heartless spreading, his hands have been kind of tied. Well, the hand he has left, anyway…"

Amaya set her sight on the aloof Cloud Strife.

Cloud noticed Barret stuffing his face with some of their spread. "Calm down, Tubby, save some for the rest of us. You could stand to lose a few, too."

Barret pointed a sharp finger. "Watch that mouth of yours, Spikes!"

"And you are?" Amaya asked the blond.

He gave a cocky smirk. "Cloud. An ex-member of SOLDIER, first class."

"My name is—"

"Sorry, but I don't really care what your name is. What I'm ready to do is get this mission over with. I don't have time to waste sitting around."

Amaya pouted. "Well, you're an awfully rude one."

"Cloud!" Tifa scolded.

"Cloud, be nice," Aeris said, patting him on the shoulder. Suddenly, Cloud looked a bit guilty, if ever so slightly. It seemed that Aeris had some sort of affect on him and Amaya definitely noticed. Aeris smiled at her. "I'm so sorry about that. He can be a bit of a grumpy poo himself when he wants to be."

"Grumpy poo…?" Cloud grumbled.

"My name is Aeris. Pleased to meet you." She shook hands with Amaya.

"You too. You're so sweet," Amaya complimented.

"And you?" Aeris asked Sora. He didn't respond, as he was too deep into his own misery to even hear her. She poked him on the nose, making his eyes widen before quickly settling back down upon seeing Aeris' warm and welcoming expression.

She giggled. "Turn that frown upside down, mister!"

Sora sighed. "Unfortunately, it's not that easy." He plopped back down on the couch. Aeris, taking note of his despair, sat down alongside him.

"I can sense a really deep depression coming from you," she said with a pout. "What's troubling you?"

He shook his head, his eyes looking a tad lifeless. "I don't want to talk about it."

Aeris kept to herself for a bit, both hands on her lap as she silently tapped her shoe against the floor. She seemed to be in deep thought. Sora looked over at her and couldn't help but smile, if ever so slightly, at how cute she looked while pondering to herself. She looked like a naïve little girl.

Suddenly, she smiled at him once more. "Well, whatever it is that's bothering you, always remember to try and keep your spirits up. I know it seems tough now, but sometimes, even in our darkest moments, we should try to keep happy thoughts! Maybe then it'll make the bad times a lot easier to handle."

Sora looked confused, not really seeing a way to stay optimistic when he had just lost the last bit of family he had. But she was right; how was he ever going to keep his head in the game if he kept sulking over Xion?

Fine. He'd do his best to try and stay focused, at least until Xehanort was gone.

"You're right," he admitted.

"Awwww," Amaya cooed. "I ship you guys already!"

Cloud groused at the idea. But before he could object, Barret interrupted him.

"Hush, fools! Looks like we got company." He pointed to the monitor up ahead, where two mysterious men in black coats stood by the counter waiting for service. One looked a tad impatient while the other just looked plain bored. "These brothas look a bit shady. Tifa, find out what they want."

"I'm on it." She nodded before stepping on the little elevator that rose her up to the bar.

"Spikes, keep your guard up! We don't know what these people are capable of."

Cloud flipped some of his hair back. "Who went and made you leader?"

"That's an _order, _Cloud." He glared at the rebellious man as he put on his dirty brown vest.

"What can we do?" Amaya asked eagerly, lifting her head up to the tall, muscle-bound brute. He huffed some air out of his nose with irritation.

"You can sit down here and look pretty, the both of ya. I don't trust ya nowhere no how. I don't care how you know Tifa. So stay out of it."

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!" Sora yelled, stepping in front of Amaya with a defensive stance. Barret almost laughed and lightly shoved the Keyblade hero back into the couch.

"You're up in my house, Spiky number two. You follow _my _orders. Just sit tight and don't screw anythin' up. Get a damn haircut while you're at it." Barret took position by the elevator and cocked back the gun on his arm. Cloud took position as well.

Amaya stomped over to sit in between Sora and Aeris, crossing her arms with a pout. "Man, you AVALANCHE guys sure are mean."

"Don't worry, they just have to get used to you," Aeris whispered. "They're actually quite nice."

"Hm. What's your definition of 'nice'?" Amaya asked sarcastically.

Back up in the main bar of Seventh Heaven, the pinball elevator came to a stop. The secret base was supposed to be a secret, so luckily the two mysterious men had their backs turned towards her as she slipped behind the counter.

"What can I get you guys tonight?" Tifa chirped.

"AH!" The older man let out a yelp in shock, but quickly tried to maintain composure. The other one barely moved a muscle, in fact, he didn't even look the least bit surprised by her sudden appearance. "I mean, um, yes."

One of the men had long blond hair, but was visibly quite old, possibly around his early sixties. His associate looked a bit younger, possibly around his early to late twenties. He sported short steel-blue hair and his bangs covered one of his eyes.

"We would like to purchase a drink. I'll have an apple martini."

Tifa failed to stifle her laughter. "An apple martini?"

The studious man crossed his arms behind his back with a sturdy, clearly not amused expression. "I don't find the humor in that request."

"Sorry," she said through her fits. "Would you like this month's special dildo giveaway too?" She gushed with laughter.

He growled. "Just because I like a good martini every once in awhile does not make me any less of a man!"

"Right, right, I gotcha," Tifa said teasingly. "Chill out, dude, it's just a joke."

"Yes, Vexen, give it a rest," the other steel-blue haired man said.

"I will do no such thing, Zexion! This woman is trying to patronize my masculinity!" He eyed Tifa up and down, looking almost disgusted. "She had best keep quiet and know her place in the kitchen where she belongs."

Oh, no he didn't.

He was lucky that she had to maintain composure not blow her cover, or else she would have be kicked this old fart's ass.

Zexion rolled his eyes. "I apologize for my associate's rudeness. Please, do not heed what he says. As you can see, he's a bit old-fashioned as far as his view on women goes."

"Hm, at least one of you has some manners." Vexen refused to acknowledge them. "And what will you be having, sir?" Tifa asked Zexion, sticking a quick tongue out at Vexen.

"Oh, I'm fine. Thank you." He gave a sly grin that would have almost looked charming if he weren't wearing such a mysterious black cloak.

"Alrighty. So, just one apple martini for your girlfriend, then?" She whipped up his drink.

Zexion chuckled while his "girlfriend" practically fumed smoke out from his ears. "Indeed," Zexion said.

Tifa slid the glass to Vexen. "There you go, prune face."

"I'd make a response, but then I have to remember that you are beneath me and aren't worth the effort." He took a sip from his glass.

"Ugh," Zexion groaned. "See what I have to deal with?"

Tifa patted his hand, pretending to look concerned. "You have my sympathies, friend." Vexen did his best to ignore them.

"Such delicate hands," Zexion said with a sly smirk. "I'm surprised someone of your beauty is working long nights at a pigsty such as this." He kissed her hand.

Tifa blushed and giggled. "Oh, stop it…"

"Now, onto more important matters," Zexion said, "I have a question for you."

"If it's about a date, I'm sorry; I don't really have the time for it at the moment." Not to mention, she had someone else she liked in mind—though, she was too stubborn to admit it.

"Neither do I. Sadly, adulthood isn't very inviting towards such distant indulgences like romantic get-togethers. If it did, I'd have to ask for company in a minute." He winked, making Tifa tuck her hair behind her ear. "Instead, I would like to ask if you've seen a boy with spiky brunet hair."

Tifa paused for a moment and allowed his request to sink in. She gulped, figuring that the boy he spoke of was Sora. "Um, no."

"She hesitated!" Vexen accused, smashing his hand against the counter. "She must be hiding something."

"Vexen," Zexion snapped before turning back to Tifa. "Listen, uh… may I ask for your name?"

"Tifa." She refused to give him her last name.

"Tifa, we do not want any trouble. We just want you to be honest with us. Have you seen the boy?"

She shook her head. "No."

He squinted, looking deep into her eyes. Tifa started to break into a very subtle sweat. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, I'm certain."

After a few prolonged moments of silence, Zexion spoke again. "If you're being dishonest, you will be considered an adversary. You don't want that, and neither do I. I'd hate to have put such a beautiful young woman in a negative category, but I will do that if you force my hand. It's only business, Tifa. Now, I will ask one more time… have you seen a spiky-haired boy named Sora?"

Once he said his name, it was confirmed. But Tifa kept a straight head, a hard look, and a balanced posture. She refused to be intimidated.

"And for the last time, no. I haven't seen him."

"Hm." Zexion remained skeptical.

"I don't trust her," Vexen said, eying her equally, perhaps even more skeptically than his cohort.

"What reason what I have to lie, prune face? You ought to check yourself!"

"My, word!" Vexen said. "Such terrible manners. Very well, then if you're truly being honest, you wouldn't mind if we took a look around."

"Not at all," Tifa lied as Vexen and Zexion began scouting around Seventh Heaven in search for Sora.

Vexen, with as much disrespect as he could muster, began throwing tables and chairs over carelessly.

"Hey, watch it!" Tifa yelled.

Vexen ignored her as he came across the pinball machine, taking note of a small button place at the bottom of it and an odd square shape underneath the machine itself. He stroked his chin with a maniacal sneer. "Interesting…"

"Get away from the pinball machine!" she shouted.

"Hmph. Why are you so protective of such a useless game? I wonder, could it be that this button leads to something to more than what meets the eye?" He grinned, hovering his foot over the button, threatening to step on it. If he did that, her friends would be in danger.

It was over, they lost. They would find Sora no matter what at this point. But Tifa figured she might as well give this old bastard a good foot up his ass. She had been dying to do so almost from the moment he stepped foot in the place.

She gave Vexen a grin of her own and cracked her knuckles. Confused, Vexen stepped away from the pinball machine but his jaw dropped as Tifa lunged over the counter with her fists ready.

He blocked her attack as he summoned his shield, what he called the Frozen Pride.

Zexion noticed this from the other side of the room and quickly sprung into battle, kicking Tifa away from his partner. As she hit the wall, a yelp escaped her, followed by a grunt of slight pain as she rubbed her head.

"Hmph. Stay in your place, maid," Vexen said. "I knew you were not to be trusted."

"For shame." Zexion shook his head. "And here I thought we could have made quite the acquaintances."

She smirked. "Sorry, not gonna happen."

Before they could make a response, Cloud and Barret burst out from the floor, the spiky-haired blond with his Buster Sword in position and Barret with his gun arm already firing bullets at the two.

Vexen shielded himself as Zexion somersaulted backwards. Cloud skidded towards Zexion and proceeded to swing his sword at him rapidly.

Zexion, being nimble and dexterous, was able to pinpoint the exact speed and velocity of Cloud's movements. With an intuitive finger to his chin, he effortlessly dodged Cloud's mindless attempts.

Zexion quickly summoned his Book of Retribution, the Lexicon, casting a quick wave shock at Cloud, causing him to be shot back a few feet. The cloaked schemer chuckled as his book floated before him.

With a slight struggle, Amaya reached the top of the Seventh Heaven bar through the broken floor. Sora lifted Aeris up to help Amaya reach for her and pulled her up. Sora leapt and grabbed onto the broken floor, allowing Amaya and Aeris to help pull him up.

Vexen took sight of Sora and grinned. "Aha! So, we have finally found you, at last!"

Sora glared at him as he summoned his Keyblade and got into his stance along with Amaya.

"Hero of Light!" Vexen hovered in the air and cast a blizzard spell towards the Kingdom Key warrior. Sora hopped out of the way and quickly sped towards his opponent. Amaya held onto Aeris and kept her safe from any damage.

Sora avoided the many waves of ice being thrown his way from Vexen. He soared into the air and quickly offered a few rapid strokes with his Keyblade, to which Vexen was able to dodge each. Although, at one point Sora's Keyblade was only centimeters away from catching Vexen in the face, which caught him by surprise.

Vexen then smirked. "Well now… it seems that darkness in your heart as developed much anger and rage, making your aggression that much more apparent. I wonder, would it be an absurd hypothesis to assume that perhaps you really do have what it takes to serve us?"

"Serve you…?" Sora thought aloud, but quickly shook the thoughts aside and got back into position. Amaya, who held onto Aeris' hand, ran past Sora and grabbed his, dragging them out of the bar.

"Sora, there's no time for this! We have to get out of here!"

But as they made it outside, the three were stopped dead in their tracks as they were surrounded by an alarming number of Heartless, mostly Neoshadows and regular Shadows.

"Oh, goodness!" Aeris said, cowering close to Amaya in fear. Amaya looked a bit fearful herself—being that she preferred to avoid a fight as much as she could, but it looked like she might not have a choice.

Vexen calmly stepped outside as Zexion battled Barret and Cloud behind him. "Make your move, Keyblade master, either step down and come with us, or prepare for the fight of your life. The choice is only yours to bear." He gave him that sly, sadistic grin of his.

Sora looked fearless, giving Vexen a bit of a cocky smile of his own. He was never one to step down from a fight. "You must not know who I am." He got into position. "Let's do this!"

* * *

**Happy New Years to all of my bananas! 2016! Woo! Merry belated Christmas to you all as well! **

**I swear I didn't plan on updating on New Years, I just happened to finish this today! XD**

**Also, I got rid of Yuffie from last chapter. **

**104 favs and 118 followers, thanks so much to you all! **

**ISayJelloAgain: Hellooo! Happy New Year! Y'all the bananas had better have my back! Ughh, I can't stand cats tbh you can keep em lol Yeah I love your reviews, so thank YOU so much for taking the time to write them out for me! You have no idea how much I appreciate it, really :) Aww thank you! I hope this chapter I can get more reviews than last time. I say you should make an account so that I can PM you but I get it if you don't want to. And hmmm, that's a good question, I'm not sure how long I'll make this story. I have a LOT of ideas. I was thinking somewhere around 30, but with the stuff I have planned, I think it might go a little further. I don't want it to be too long because I don't want the story to warm out its welcome, so I definitely want less than 50 chapters. Ugh, yeah, SE has been pissing me off a little lately. Just a little bit lol thank you reviewing! Hope to hear from you again!**

**And to Twenty-Twenty-One, I will catch up on What's Wright! Sorry I couldn't finish it today, but I ended up getting a little busy-ish today but I will definitely catch up today! **

**Speaking of which! **

**Recommended fic of the day: **

**What's Wright by Twenty-Twenty-One **

This is one of my favorite stories as of right now and I totally recommend it! Here's the summary: He writes the most detailed and descriptive erotica stories that everyone goes crazy over. He's the one that everyone wants to meet and the one everyone worships, but no one knows that he's a he. They only know his alias, Elaina Wright.

Go read her fic, guyz! She's really talented and underrated!

**Thanks for reading! **


	23. The Extraction

Kairi had never tasted fried chicken before, but it was exemplary. She carelessly scarfed down chicken breast after chicken breast without much of a care if her appearance was ladylike or not. She was starving and all of this constant danger on an empty stomach was torturous.

Luxord's eyes held a mixture of fascination and disgust. Kairi noticed and sent a glare.

"What are you ogling at, Frog?" Chicken juice was smeared over the lower half of her face.

Luxord extended her a napkin. "The charming young lady in front of me with the appetite of an obese detached vagrant."

Kairi snatched it from him. "It's been a rough few days. I've had more adventure in the past week than my entire sixteen years of existence. Still trying to figure out if I actually like it or not."

Luxord let out a hearty laugh. "Yes, well, sometimes people wish for things for which of that they know not of, and as it fades from being fantasy and into the light of reality, you suddenly lose sight of that distant craving."

"You speak from experience?"

Luxord looked hesitant for a moment. "I've...dabbled, in my fair share of debacles caused on my own behalf, thanks to my stubborn fixation for knowledge. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to in order to fix what you've lost, only to lose again."

"I don't think I understand that metaphor."

He chuckled. "It's no metaphor. Ah, but that's the trick, isn't it? We humans, we think too hard about concepts that are best left at bay, ideals that are best left sacred in the land of ideology. Then when trouble begins to brew," Luxord picked up a walnut out of a basket place on the table, "we find ourselves scrambling to mend the woes that we've brought unto ourselves."

He crushed the walnut with a squeeze of his index finger and thumb.

Kairi put her fork down, feeling a bit uneasy by his sudden shift in tone. "You seem rather melancholic. Is there something you wish to talk about?"

"It's nothing. Just a little regretful, that's all."

That uneasy feeling at the bottom of Kairi's gut began to slowly deviate into slight fear. Maybe it was a bad idea to go along with whatever this guy had to offer. Her mother did always tell her never talk to strangers, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and Kairi desperately needed food.

"I apologize, I've been so rude this evening," Luxord said, returning to his charming demeanor. "Please, continue with your meal."

Kairi didn't make a move for her food. She was quite full, and the tension wracking her brain made her appetite practically disappear. "I think I've had my fill."

"It was good, yes?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

Luxord used a cloth to dab at his chin. "Well, I suppose the question was only inevitable. Can an honest man not take a maiden out for a bite without a call for suspicion? In spite of my natural charisma, respectable demeanor, and professional charm, it wasn't enough to avoid the unavoidable."

"Cut the games. Out with it, you. I want to know why you chose me of all people to take out here. If it's money you're after—"

"Please. Can we not jump to conclusions? As I said before, your resplendence deserved the most ostentatious regard. Is that really so hard to—"

"Actually, it is. Forgive me for lacking much patience but I really have no business staying here. I... I'm sorry for wasting your time."

A brief silence passed before Luxord sighed. "I'm sorry, too."

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Forgive me." Luxord lifted himself from the table and approached the young girl menacingly.

Kairi shot up from her chair, not caring that it fell backwards. "What are you doing?"

He reached out for her. "I'm terribly sorry for this. It's nothing personal."

Kairi kicked him in the shin.

"Agh!"

"I'm leaving!" Kairi declared before hurrying for the door, attracting the attention and curiosity of many that surrounded them. Before she could reach the door, Luxord landed in her path. Just what sort of agility did he have? Kairi was starting to think this guy may not have been who he said he was...

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, my dear."

And with a gasp, all Kairi saw was black.

She really hated being a damsel in distress...

* * *

So many questions...

For instance, just who the hell were these crackpots and what could they want from Sora? What was their purpose? And why hadn't they shown themselves before today?

Sora rolled out of the way of an incoming ice barrage from Vexen. Sora was ready to wipe that smirk off his face the first chance he got.

"You're slowing down!" Vexen taunted.

No kidding. Sora felt like he was on the verge of passing out.

An incoming Neoshadow hurled towards Sora and he readied himself, but then for a brief instant, he didn't see a Neoshadow—he only saw Xion running his way, her eyes wrought with tears that streamed down her stained cheeks. "Sora!"

Completely caught off guard, the winded hero merely cowered before her. "No!" he cried. He didn't have the brain capacity to think to dodge or attack.

Luckily, the Neoshadow was blasted by a ray of light before it could reach him. Sora snapped out of it once he noticed Amaya running towards him from behind, still holding onto Aeris' hand.

"Sora, snap out of it!" she yelled.

"R-Right..."

Vexen snickered.

Sora couldn't focus. His head was throbbing uncontrollably. He grunted as he tried to shake the pain away, but when he opened his eyes—he was in a dark room.

It looked as if he had a spotlight cast on his figure. This must have been some kind of trick. He kept his Keyblade ready if an enemy jumped out of the shadows.

"Show yourself!" he yelled, his eyes darting in every direction, a bead of sweat slowly grazing down the side of his forehead.

"You failed."

"Who's there?!" Sora turned around.

"You promised that you would keep her safe. You _promised." _

That voice...

No...

Out of the shadows came a woman with chestnut hair reaching to her back, and hazel eyes. Her face was dark, grim, as the shadow from highlighted her expression in the most eerie way possible.

"Mom...?" Sora backed up slowly.

"You promised that you would protect her... and look at what has happened. Now she's gone. Because of you!"

"N-No, I-I-I didn't mean to—"

He stopped once he bumped into something behind him. He turned around to see the equally grim expression of his father. He had jet black hair and blue eyes.

"I'm disappointed in you, Sora. You've let us all down..."

"Dad, I—"

His mother broke down into tears. "How could you have let that man hurt our little Xion? I trusted you to protect her—I trusted you!"

She collapsed onto her feet, and Sora reached out for her, but his father held him back as he ran up to his wife and held her as she let out her sobs.

"You see what you've done?"

Sora looked at the sight with horror cast on his face. "No... N-No, I—"

"You inconsiderate, degenerate, irresponsible excuse for a son. You've made your mother cry!"

Before Sora can even respond, he looked to his left to spot none other than Xion emerge from the shadows with her face also in tears.

"Sora..." her voiced cracked. "How could you? Why didn't you save me?"

"I tried to save you! I really did!" He ran up to her and took her hand. It felt cold and clammy. She couldn't even look him in the face. "Xion, I... I'm sorry... I didn't think that—"

"It's all your fault," she said. "It's all your fault..."

Sora didn't even know what to say.

"It's all your fault," his mother and father said in unison.

Xion looked at him with darker expression. "It's all... your... FAULT!"

Before he could react, Xion unleashed a Keyblade, specifically the same blade as his own, the Kingdom Key, and launched towards her brother with a fiery vengeance.

Sora flipped back and was able to block her attacks as he backed away. To his surprise, she was supremely skilled at using her—_his _Keyblade in the most advanced fashion. She slashed at him relentlessly, her eyes angry and brimming with tears.

"Xion, what are you doing?!"

The next thing he knew, another Xion came out from the shadows, also holding a Keyblade, and kicked him right in his side.

Sora belted out in pain. He noticed his mother still crying in the corner of the spotlight as his father comforted her.

The two Xion's calmly, but threateningly walked towards him.

"It's all your fault," they synchronized.

Sora staggered his way back up to his feet, trying his best to hold back the pain. Both of the Xion's attacked, but Sora was able to block their attempts. He refused to fight back. He chose to remain on the defensive end. He couldn't hit his own sister. Or... sisters?

What the hell was going on?

Sora dodge rolled between them and flipped into the air to deliver a whiplash from his Keyblade, the wind being strong enough to knock them both back.

Before he could move, another Xion leaped out of the shadows from behind him and grabbed him by the torso, flipped over, and tossed him forward. The other two Xion's hit Sora with two blasts of light energy, making him crash into the ground.

Sora coughed, his strength slipping away from him as each second passed by. But he refused to fight back—partially because he didn't know what in the world was happening.

One of the Xion's yanked him up by his hair and smashed his face into the ground. Sora groaned in pain, and felt himself being picked up yet again, only to receive an onslaught of quick kicks from a plethora of Xion's.

Sora was able to block a few, but for the majority of it, he had no choice but to feel the wrath of their incessant rage. The Xion's seemed to be multiplying every second, jumping out of the shadows, each just as angry and heartbroken as the last.

He smashed into the ground. Sora painfully lifted himself up onto his knees, but he was immediately kicked to the side by a Xion. The next thing Sora knew, he was being beaten to a pulp by a plethora of vengeful little sister's, batting him with their Keyblades and advanced magic.

Blood trailed down the side of his mouth as a Xion lifted his face to look her in the eyes. He was being held by two others, while about twelve other Xion's watched on with the same eerie glare.

"Why didn't you save me, Sora? Why didn't you save me?!"

The Xion pulled her Keyblade back and stabbed him in the heart.

"AGHHH!"

Sora opened his eyes and found himself strapped to a right-side up table.

"You're finally awake," said a deep voice.

Sora examined the area around him. He was surrounded by some kind of advanced technology and there was a sharp, claw attached to some sort of unit pointed to his chest. He looked over to find a man in a black hood, sitting in a chair, waiting patiently for him to wake up.

"Well, it's about time."

Sora tried to power out of the straps, but they were locked tight, and he tried summoning his Keyblade, but to no avail.

"Don't bother," the mysterious figure said as he rose from his chair, pacing back and forth slowly with his arms behind his back. "Those restraints are made out of the same material as the shackles in the dungeon—as in, summoning that little Keyblade of yours is futile."

"What's going on here?" Sora asked, irritatingly.

The figure removed his hood to reveal himself as Master Xehanort. "Your extraction."

Sora squinted. "A little context, please?"

"Oh, most definitely." Xehanort pressed a button on a remote device, and from the floor, right across from Sora's position, rises a platform with a similar right-side up table. Though, this one has Kairi, her mother, Claire, Aeris, and Amaya all chained up in shackles—each and every one of them unconscious.

Sora's eyes widened. "NO!" He tried harder to power out of the shackles, but the effort really was meaningless, but he had to try. He was not about to lose anybody else again.

"Welcome to Hollow Bastion, my boy," said Xehanort with a grin. "It used to be the castle where the queen and king ruled, but after I acquired it, I figured some redecorating was in order." He took a seat, crossing his leg. "Meaning that we've had certain advanced technology and designs implemented into this structure. It was a bit too, bright, for my taste."

"Let them go! Please, dude, I'll do whatever you want, just please—don't hurt them!"

Xehanort smirked. "No can do. You don't think I'd go out of my way to bring you here for no reason, did you? You fell for the trap so spectacularly. Everything you've done up to this point has been in my favor."

"What are you talking about?"

"The great Keyblade war, prophesized to bring about the ancient X-blade with the power to unleash the door to darkness and bring about the realm of darkness. With that power at my disposal, there's no limit to my will, you see."

"So, that's what this is all about?" Sora asked with a sharp glare. "Power? Sounds pretty basic—I expected something better."

"It is simple, but a plan that's practical. The light has become supreme, I figured it was high time that darkness had its moment of triumph. And, here we are. Of course, you are essential in this whole dilemma. You see, that Keyblade of yours is special. Not only does its bearer have a special connection with the princess thanks to her grandfather, but it was conjured by Merlin the Wizard.

"Long ago, before the first ancient Keyblade war in a battle for control of the light, there were two Keys in particular that had the ability to open, or close, the door to darkness and keep the realm of darkness at bay. That being the X-blade, and... the Kingdom Key.

"The Foretellers entrusted Merlin with the Kingdom Key and the ability to pass down the mantle to someone worthy. But the trick was that only the one who could lift the Kingdom Key from the stone would be the one who was fit to protect the realm of light. Great job on that, by the way.

"It all worked in my favor, as Merlin, Claire, and Hope all grew desperate enough to bring about the trial of the Kingdom Key to find someone suitable to protect their daughter, since she and the Kingdom Key have a sort of—ancestral connection. As soon as I heard that you had become the chosen wielder, I knew exactly what to do with you, boy. I just had to be patient. Test the waters. Plan my next step with care.

"I knew I'd never convince you to open the door to darkness for me, being a protégé of Miss Farron, I suspected that you'd so foolishly choose to battle the darkness instead of embracing it, ignorant of the fact that darkness is a means to a better world. But I know the truth. And so I led you all here, or should I say, _we _led you all here—a pawn into our trap."

"We?" Sora lifted an eyebrow.

Right on cue, in walked a few familiar and unfamiliar faces, all wearing similar black coats; Zexion, Saïx, Fuu, Vexen, Ansem, and Xemnas. Sora gave Xemnas in particular a bloodthirsty gaze, feeling his urge to kill him at any moment.

"You see, we needed you alive so that we could obtain your darkness," Xehanort continued. "That's why I had your sister killed, so that the rage would surely develop in an expedient manner to my liking. Now that your heart is gushing with morbid darkness and rage, it'll be the perfect opportunity to create ourselves a new... 'friend' with that darkness burbling in your heart. And now, my boy, you will take part in this extraction." Xehanort pushed his claw contraption onto Sora's chest, its sharp edges made Sora let out a painful scream.

It took a moment for Sora to catch his breath. "If it's me you want, then leave my friends out of it!"

Xehanort shook his head. "Your compassion is moronic." He gestured his men to do his bidding. "Just sit back and enjoy the show... Sora."

Sora grit his teeth. "Who are you?"

He only grinned in response.

Sora watched, confused as Fuu pulled a dagger out from the back of her pocket. She played with the sharp tip as she strolled past all of the unconscious females almost nonchalantly.

"W... What are you doing?" Sora trembled.

Fuu walked up to Aeris, and without hesitation, brutally smashed her dagger into her shoulder.

"N-No... stop it! S-Stop it!"

Fuu ignored him and jabbed the dagger into Amaya's thigh.

"Stop it... stop it!"

Fuu tossed the knife into the air, caught it, and slashed Claire on the side of her stomach.

"Don't hurt them! Just—just leave them out of this!"

Unknown to Sora, the claw device attached to his chest jolted with more energy the angrier and more distraught he became. Xehanort smiled maniacally. "Yes, boy!"

Fuu swiped the dagger across Kairi's arm.

"I SAID STOP IT!" Sora blurted. "Not Kairi, man! Don't you dare lay a finger on her or I swear I will fucking bust out of these chains and kill every single one of you!"

Vexen rubbed his chin, with a sinister smirk. "Master Xehanort, it seems that the princess caused the biggest reaction out of him. Perhaps, his care for her is quite significant."

"Why, you're right, Vexen," Xehanort said, almost mockingly to poor Sora. "Kill her," he commanded Fuu.

Fuu nodded, raising the dagger to Kairi's neck.

"I SAID... STOP!"

However, before Fuu could slit Kairi's throat, she, as well as the others, were distracted by the sudden increase of velocity Xehanort's device. Xehanort smiled.

"He's ready..."

Xehanort summoned his Keyblade and kicked the claw unit to the side and pointed his blade at Sora's heart. "We needed you to feel that rage so that it could be easier for me to extract the darkness inside of you, now that your heart is vulnerable! Thanks for your assistance, boy."

A beam of darkness from Xehanort's Keyblade struck Sora in his chest used and Sora felt suffocated as a sphere of dark energy slowly phased through his chest. He could hardly breathe, and he gasped for air, but it didn't matter. He was stuck—and as soon as it left him, Sora was hit by overwhelming fatigue. But somehow, he was still alive.

The dark sphere was enveloped into what looked like a cocoon of darkness, until a body finally came into fruition. The figure wore a black and red organic bodysuit, with a silver helmet covered in dark glass.

The figure descended slowly, as everyone in the room, aside from Sora's unconscious friends, looked at the newborn in either awe, discern, or sinister triumph, such as Master Xehanort.

The dark figure summoned a Keyblade; it looked almost identical to Sora's Kingdom Key, but it was gold with a silver handle.

"The Kingdom Key D, essential to the realm of darkness," Xehanort said. "Empty creature from Sora riven... to you, the name Vanitas shall be given."

Vanitas nodded. "Yes, Master."

Master Xehanort looked back to Xemnas. "I suppose I won't be needing the X-blade, after all."

"What do we do with them?" Zexion asked, referring to Sora and the girls.

"We'll keep Sora, Amaya, and Claire around. They'll be a backup plan. If the Kingdom Key D doesn't work in my favor, I'll use them to bring about another Keyblade war to forge the X-blade."

"And, this young girl here and Princess Kairi?" Fuu asked.

Xehanort smirked. "Kill them."

* * *

**Whatever.**


End file.
